CONFIGURING A MODULAR STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20140008370A1
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Judd, Ian D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,257,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/500
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/00 Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/127 Mounting arrangements of constructional parts onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14 Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Provided is an enclosure for use in a modular storage system, the enclosure comprising a plurality of drive bays, a controller canister, an expansion canister, and a midplane connecting the drive bays to the canisters, wherein the controller canister occupies a greater volume of the enclosure than the expansion canister.

Claims

1. An enclosure for use in a modular storage system, the enclosure comprising:

a plurality of drive bays,

a controller canister,

an expansion canister, and

a midplane connecting the drive bays to the canisters, wherein the controller canister occupies a greater volume of the enclosure than the expansion canister.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, and further comprising two power supplies each connected to the controller canister and the expansion canister.

3. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the controller canister includes an internal battery.

4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the controller canister has a greater vertical height than the expansion canister.

5. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the controller canister and the expansion canister are side-by-side.

6. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the controller canister and the expansion canister are stacked in a vertical orientation with the controller canister stacked above the expansion canister.

7. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the controller canister and the expansion canister each have an upper end and a lower end with respect to the vertical orientation in which the controller canister and the expansion canister are stacked, wherein a printed circuit board of the controller canister is positioned at the upper end of the controller canister and a printed circuit board of the expansion canister is positioned at a lower end of the expansion canister.

8. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the expansion canister includes a subset of components included in the controller canister.

9. A modular storage system comprising:

a plurality of drive bays;

a first enclosure including;

a first controller canister coupled to the drive bays; and

a first expansion canister, wherein the first controller canister occupies a greater volume of the enclosure than the first expansion canister; and

a second enclosure including;

a second controller canister;

a second expansion canister, wherein the second controller canister occupies a greater volume of the enclosure than the second expansion canister.

10. The modular storage system of claim 9, wherein the two controller canisters, one in each enclosure, are connected by an external cable.

11. The modular storage system of claim 9, wherein the first and second controller canisters has a greater vertical height than the first and second expansion canisters, respectively.

12. The modular storage system of claim 9, further comprising:

two power supplies in each of the first and second enclosures, wherein the first controller canister and first expansion canister share the two power supplies in the first enclosure and the second controller canister and the second expansion canister share the two power supplies in the second enclosure.

13. The modular storage system of claim 9, wherein in the first enclosure, the first controller canister and the first expansion canister are stacked in a vertical orientation with the first controller canister stacked above the first expansion canister and wherein in the second enclosure, the second canister and the second expansion canister are stacked in the vertical orientation with the second controller canister stacked above the second expansion canister.

14. The modular storage system of claim 13, further comprising:

a cabinet including a door having a first shelf in which the first enclosure is disposed and a second shelf in which the second enclosure is disposed.

15. A method of configuring a modular storage system comprising:

inserting two enclosures into the modular storage system, each enclosure comprising a plurality of drive bays, a controller canister, an expansion canister, and a midplane connecting the drive bays to the canisters, wherein the controller canister occupies a greater volume of the enclosure than the expansion canister.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each enclosure further comprises two power supplies each connected to the controller canister and the expansion canister.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the controller canister of each enclosure includes an internal battery.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the controller canister of each enclosure has a greater vertical height than the expansion canister.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the controller canister and the expansion canister of each enclosure are side-by-side.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising connecting the two controller canisters, one in each of the enclosures by an external cable.