Removable disk storage array emulating tape library having backup and archive capability
First Claim
1. A hard disk drive data archive system for emulating electrically a tape library including a multiplicity of tape cartridges each having a predetermined storage capacity, the hard disk drive data archive system comprising:
- a hot pluggable multi-drive magazine comprising a housing and a plurality of hard disk drives installed within the housing, wherein the hot-pluggable multi-drive magazine is hot pluggable within the hard disk drive data archive system, each hard disk drive upon installation being connected to receive power and data from the magazine in a controlled fashion, and each hard disk drive defining an electrical data storage capacity at least equal to the predetermined storage capacity of said tape cartridge being emulated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hard disk drive based data archive system emulating a tape archive system includes a hot pluggable multi-drive magazine having a housing for holding a plurality of hard disk drives, each drive connected to receive power and data from the magazine in a controlled fashion, and at least one magazine receiving system for physically receiving the magazine and for thereupon providing power, data and control connections to the magazine, such that when the magazine is received within the magazine receiving system, the hard disk drives selectively receive power and data connections via the magazine and receiving system from a host computer. The magazine may be hot-disconnected from an active computing system environment and removed to an archive rack wherein each disk drive is periodically checked to ensure functionality and to provide some limited-bandwidth data retrieval functions via a network connection to the archive rack. A file mark structure enables a disk drive in the magazine to emulate functionality of a tape cartridge.
270 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A hard disk drive data archive system for emulating electrically a tape library including a multiplicity of tape cartridges each having a predetermined storage capacity, the hard disk drive data archive system comprising:
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a hot pluggable multi-drive magazine comprising a housing and a plurality of hard disk drives installed within the housing, wherein the hot-pluggable multi-drive magazine is hot pluggable within the hard disk drive data archive system, each hard disk drive upon installation being connected to receive power and data from the magazine in a controlled fashion, and each hard disk drive defining an electrical data storage capacity at least equal to the predetermined storage capacity of said tape cartridge being emulated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for archiving user data within an active data processing system comprising steps of:
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A. transferring said user data to be archived to a hard disk archive array comprising at least one hot pluggable multi-drive magazine, the hot pluggable multi-drive magazine being hot pluggable within the hard disk archive array and having a housing and a plurality of hard disk drives installed within the housing, each hard disk drive upon installation being connected to receive power and data from the magazine in a controlled fashion; and
, a magazine receiving system connected to the active data processing system for physically receiving the magazine and thereupon providing power and data connections to the magazine, such that when the magazine is received within the magazine receiving system, the hard disk drives selectively receive power and data connections with the magazine receiving system,B. removing the magazine from the magazine receiving system connected to the active data processing system following completion of transfer of user data to be archived, C. installing the magazine in a data preservation vault in a secure location remote from a location of the active data processing system, and, D. periodically and selectively applying power to each one of the hard disk drives installed within the magazine in the data preservation vault during a drive testing interval, and carrying out drive performance checks upon said drive during the drive testing interval. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification