Title: Hard disk drive storage system
Abstract: Hard disk drive storage system. One embodiment of the hard disk drive storage system comprises a library. At least one storage device and at least one connector are mounted in the library. At least one hard disk drive is receivable in the at least one storage device and alternately receivable adjacent the at least one connector. A picker assembly is movably mounted in the library, the picker assembly delivering the at least one hard disk drive between the at least one storage device and the at least one connector.
Patent Number: 6,909,570 Issued on 06/21/2005 to Ballard
| Inventors:
|
Ballard; Curtis C. (Eaton, CO)
|
| Assignee:
|
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (Houston, TX)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
303415 |
| Filed:
|
November 25, 2002 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
360/69 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G11B 019/02 |
| Field of Search: |
360/69,71,780.4,980.4,980.5,980.6,980.8,990.9
439/188
711/114
707/102
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hudspeth; David
Assistant Examiner: Tzeng; Fred F.
Claims
1. A hard disk drive storage system, comprising:
a library;
at least one storage device mounted in said library;
at least one connector mounted in said library;
at least one hard disk drive receivable in said at least one storage device and
alternately receivable adjacent said at least one connector; and
a picker assembly movably mounted in said library, said picker assembly delivering
said at least one hard disk drive between said at least one storage device and
said at least one connector,
wherein said at least one storage device is removable.
2. A hard disk drive storage system, comprising:
a library;
at least one storage device mounted in said library;
at least one connector mounted in said library;
at least one hard disk drive receivable in said at least one storage device and
alternately receivable adjacent said at least one connector; and
a picker assembly movably mounted in said library, said picker assembly delivering
said at least one hard disk drive between said at least one storage device and
said at least one connector,
wherein said at least one storage device comprises a storage magazine defining
a plurality of storage chambers sized to receive said at least one hard disk drive.
3. A hard disk drive storage system, comprising:
a library;
at least one storage device mounted in said library;
at least one connector mounted in said library;
at least one hard disk drive receivable in said at least one storage device and
alternately receivable adjacent said at least one connector;
a picker assembly movably mounted in said library, said picker assembly delivering
said at least one hard disk drive between said at least one storage device and
said at least one connector; and
at least one guide member mounted to each of said at least one hard disk drive.
4. The storage system of claim 3, wherein said picker assembly is operable to
connect a mating connector of said hard disk drive to said at least one connector.
5. The storage system of claim 3, wherein said picker assembly is operable to
disconnect a mating connector of said hard disk drive from said at least one connector.
6. The storage system of claim 3, further comprising a guide system mounted in
said library adjacent said at least one storage device, said guide system defining
a displacement path for said picker assembly in said library.
7. The storage system of claim 3, wherein said picker assembly further comprises
a thumb assembly slidably mounted thereto, said thumb assembly operable to engage
and disengage each one of said at least one hard disk drive.
8. The storage system of claim 3, further comprising control circuitry operatively
associated with said at least one connector.
9. The storage system of claim 3, further comprising a data-access device having
said at least one connector mounted thereto.
10. The storage system of claim 3, further comprising a storage device guide,
said at least one guide member cooperating with said storage device guide to align
said hard disk drive in said at least one storage device.
11. The storage system of claim 3, further comprising a connector guide, said
at least one guide member mounted to said at least one hard disk drive cooperating
with said connector guide to align said at least one hard disk drive with said
at least one connector.
12. A hard disk drive storage system, comprising:
a library;
at least one storage device mounted in said library;
at least one connector mounted in said library;
at least one hard disk drive receivable in said at least one storage device and
alternately receivable adjacent said at least one connector; and
a picker assembly movably mounted in said library, said picker assembly delivering
said at least one hard disk drive between said at least one storage device and
said at least one connector,
wherein said at least one hard disk drive has a mating connector,
wherein said mating connector and said at least one connector each comprise hot-swappable
connectors,
wherein said hot-swappable connectors are single connector-attachment (SCA) connectors.
13. A hard disk drive storage system, comprising:
a library;
at least one storage device mounted in said library;
at least one connector mounted in said library;
at least one hard disk drive receivable in said at least one storage device and
alternately receivable adjacent said at least one connector;
a picker assembly movably mounted in said library, said picker assembly delivering
said at least one hard disk drive between said at least one storage device and
said at least one connector; and
a bracket member mounted to said hard disk drive, said bracket member engaged
by said picker assembly to withdraw said hard disk drive from said at least one
storage device.
14. A method for accessing data from a plurality of hard disk drives in a storage
system, comprising:
storing the plurality of hard disk drives in a storage device in the storage
system, wherein the storage device has at least one storage device guide;
retrieving one of the plurality of hard disk drives from the storage device,
the one of the plurality of hard disk drives having a guide member cooperating
with the storage device guide for aligning the one hard disk drive in the storage
device;
transporting the one of the plurality of hard disk drives to a connector in the
storage system;
connecting the transported hard disk drive to the connector for a read/write
operation; and
disconnecting the connected hard disk drive from the connector following the
read/write operation.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising returning the disconnected hard
disk drive to the storage device in the storage system following the read/write operation.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising aligning the transported hard
disk drive with the connector before connecting the transported hard disk drive
to the connector.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing electrical power to
the transported hard disk drive after connecting the transported hard disk drive
to the connector.
18. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a data connection to
the transported hard disk drive after connecting the transported hard disk drive
to the connector.
19. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing the storage device from
the storage system and placing another storage device into the storage system.
20. The method of claim 14, wherein the one of the plurality of hard disk drives
has a bracket, wherein retrieving the one hard disk drive comprises using a picker
assembly to engage the bracket to withdraw the one hard disk drive from the storage device.
21. A hard disk drive storage system, comprising:
storage means for storing at least one hard disk drive in a library, the at least
one hard disk drive having a bracket member;
first connecting means provided in said library for providing access to data
stored on said at least one hard disk drive;
second connecting means provided on said at least one hard disk drive for matably
linking said at least one hard disk drive to said first connecting means; and
transport means operatively associated with said library for delivering said
at least one hard disk drive from said storage means to said first connecting means
and assisting connection of said first and second connecting means for a read/write
operations,
wherein the transport means includes a picker assembly to engage the bracket
member to withdraw the at least one hard disk drive from the storage means.
22. The storage system of claim 21, wherein said transport means disconnects
said first and second connecting means and returns said hard disk drive to said
storage means following the read/write operation.
23. The storage system of claim 21, further comprising control means for moving
said transport means in said library.
24. The hard disk drive storage system of claim 21, wherein the storage means
has a storage guide, and the at least one hard disk drive has a guide member to
cooperate with the storage guide for aligning the at least one hard disk drive
in the storage means.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally pertains to storage systems, and more specifically, to
hard disk drive storage systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Storage systems, or autochangers, are commonly used to store data cartridges
at known locations and to retrieve the desired data cartridges so that data may
be written to and/or read from the data cartridges. Accordingly, large volumes
of computer-readable data can be stored on numerous data cartridges and accessed
by one or more computers connected to the storage system (e.g., over a network).
Such storage systems may include one or more storage magazines and cartridge
read/write devices. The storage magazines serve as a storage location for the data
cartridges, and the read/write device(s) provide access to the data stored on the
data cartridges. The storage system may also include a controller operatively associated
with a picker assembly as well as a drive system for moving the picker assembly
among the data cartridges stored in the storage system.
As an illustration, if the controller receives an instruction to access a certain
data cartridge, the controller causes the drive system to move the picker assembly
to the location of the desired data cartridge. Then, the picker assembly retrieves
the data cartridge and delivers it to the read/write device. The picker assembly
may also be operated to return the data cartridge to the storage magazine following
the read/write operation.
Typical data cartridges have relatively slow access times. For example, once
the data cartridge has been delivered to the read/write device, it may take another
4 to 6 minutes to position the read/write head before the read/write operation
can begin. Hard disk drives have much faster access times. For example, positioning
the read/write head provided with a typical hard disk drive may take only about
10 to 15 ms before the read/write operation can begin.
Until recently, hard disk drives have generally been more expensive than data
cartridges. But recently, the cost of hard disk drives is approaching the cost
of data cartridges, and therefore hard disk drives are becoming more common for
mass storage solutions than they have been in the past. For example, hard disk
drives are typically provided for RAID (i.e., random array of independent disks)
storage systems.
The hard disk drives used in RAID storage systems are always connected, even
when not in use. Hard disk drives provided in an "always-connected" system are
subject to wear and tear (e.g., from heat) or even permanent damage or data loss
(e.g., during a power surge). In addition, extensive cabling is required to link
each of the hard disk drives in such a system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of a hard disk drive storage system, according to the present
invention, comprises a library, at least one storage device mounted in the library,
and at least one connector mounted in the library. At least one hard disk drive
is receivable in the at least one storage device and alternately receivable adjacent
the at least one connector. A picker assembly is movably mounted in the library,
the picker assembly delivering the at least one hard disk drive between the at
least one storage device and the at least one connector.
An embodiment of a method for accessing data from a plurality of hard disk drives
in a storage system comprises storing the plurality of hard disk drives in the
storage system, transporting one of the plurality of hard disk drives to a connector
in the storage system, connecting the transported hard disk drive to the connector
for a read/write operation, and disconnecting the connected hard disk drive from
the connector following the read/write operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention are
shown in the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a hard disk drive storage system;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a picker assembly for use
with the hard disk drive storage system shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the picker assembly shown in FIG. 2 having a
side member removed to show a plunge mechanism therein;
FIGS. 4(
a) through 4(
c) show (
a) a side
elevation view, (
b) a plan view, and (
c) a front elevation view of
one embodiment of a hard disk drive, respectively;
FIG. 5 is a partial front view of one embodiment of a storage magazine;
FIG. 6 is a front view of one embodiment of a data-access device; and
FIG. 7 is a simplified, side elevation of a picker assembly adjacent a hard
disk drive illustrating operation of the picker assembly according to one embodiment
of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A hard disk drive storage system
10 is shown and described herein according
to embodiments of the invention as it may be used to store large volumes of computer-readable
data on a number of hard disk drives
12. One or more users may link to the
storage system
10 (FIG. 1) from a computer
15 (e.g., over a network,
direct connection, etc.) via suitable control circuitry (e.g., controller
19).
The hard disk drive storage system
10 may comprise a library
14 having
a number of storage devices
16 (e.g., storage magazines) and at least one
data-access device
18 mounted therein. The storage devices
16 and
the data-access device
18 may be arranged in any suitable configuration,
such as the generally U-shaped configuration shown in FIG.
1.
It is noted that although the library
14 is shown with the storage devices
16 and the data-access device
18 arranged in a particular configuration
in FIG. 1, other suitable configurations are also contemplated as being within
the scope of the invention. In addition, the number of storage devices
16
and data-access devices
18 provided in the library
14 may depend
upon various design considerations. Such considerations may include, but are not
limited to, the frequency with which data is accessed. Other considerations may
include the physical dimensions of the library
14.
The library
14 may also be provided with a picker assembly
28.
Generally, the picker assembly
28 is adapted to engage one of the hard disk
drives
12, to withdraw the hard disk drive
12 (e.g., from one of
the storage devices
16), to transport the hard disk drive
12 with
the library
14, and to eject the data cartridge
20 at the intended
destination (e.g., the data-access device
18)
A guide system
24 may be mounted in the library
14 and defines a
displacement path
26 adjacent the storage devices
16 and the data-access
device
18. In one embodiment, the guide system
24 may comprise a
rail, having a gear track mounted thereto. However, other embodiments of the guide
system
24 are also contemplated as being within the scope of the invention
and may be readily provided by one skilled in the art after having become familiar
with the teachings of the present invention.
The picker assembly
28 is operatively associated with the guide system
24 and is movable along the displacement path
26 to access the hard
disk drives
12 in the library
14. For example, the picker assembly
28 may comprise an actuator assembly
30 having a drive motor operatively
associated with a gear assembly. The gear assembly may engage the gear track on
the guide system
24 and move the picker assembly
28 on the guide
system
24 in the library
14.
A suitable controller
19 is operatively associated with the picker assembly
28 to transport the hard disk drives
12 within the library
14,
for example, between the data-access device
18 and the storage devices
16.
For purposes of illustration, the picker assembly
28 is shown in positions
17,
17′, and
17"; in FIG.
1. The picker assembly
28 is shown positioned adjacent the storage devices
16 at positions
17 and
17";, and is shown positioned adjacent the data-access device
18 at position
17′.
One embodiment of a picker assembly
28 that may be used according to the
teachings of the invention is shown in more detail in FIG. 2, and is also shown
in FIG. 3 with a side panel
32 removed therefrom. The picker assembly
28
may comprise a housing
34 that defines a cavity
36 sized to receive
the hard disk drive
12. A plunge mechanism or "thumb assembly"
38
is slidably mounted to the housing
34 so that the thumb assembly
38
may be moved toward and away from the cartridge access end
40 of the housing
34, generally in the directions indicated by arrows
41 and
42, respectively.
It is noted that a wide range of other picker assemblies, now known or that may
be developed in the future, are also contemplated as being within the scope of
the invention. Consequently, the present invention should not be regarded as being
limited to use with the particular picker assembly
28 shown and described herein.
An embodiment of one of the hard disk drives
12 that may be provided for
use with the hard disk drive storage system
10 of the present invention
is shown in more detail in FIG.
4(
a) through FIG.
4(
c).
The hard disk drive
12 may comprise a housing
44. One or more guide
members
46,
47 may be mounted to or integrally formed with the housing
44 of the hard disk drive
12.
The guide members
46,
47 cooperate with mating storage device guides
52 (FIG. 5) that may be provided on the storage device
16 to align
the hard disk drive
12 when it is being inserted and withdrawn therefrom.
Accordingly, the hard disk drive
12 may be readily inserted in and withdrawn
from the storage device
16 without binding.
An embodiment of the storage device
16 is shown in FIG. 5, wherein the
storage device is a storage magazine. According to such an embodiment, the storage
device
16 may comprise a housing
51 having a number of storage chambers
50 formed therein, each sized to receive at least one of the hard disk drives
12. In one preferred embodiment, the storage device
16 is removable
from the library
14. According to such an embodiment, one of the storage
devices
16 may be readily removed and replaced with another storage device
16.
As noted above, the storage device
16 may comprise guides
52 that
cooperate with the guide members
46,
47 to align the hard disk drives
12 therein. In one example, the guides
52 may comprise recesses or
channels that are formed in the housing
51. Alternatively, the guides
52
may comprise a rail (e.g., a cylinder or rod). Of course, the guides
52
may be any suitable shape so as to cooperate with the guide member
46,
47
mounted to the hard disk drives
12. In any event, the guide members
46,
47 readily slide along the guides
52 to guide the hard disk drive
12 into the storage chamber
50 formed therein.
The guide members
46,
47 may be mounted in any suitable position
on the hard disk drive
12. For example, the guide members
46,
47
may be provided on the sides of the hard disk drive
12. In such an embodiment,
the mating guides
52,
56 may be provided on the sidewalls or partitions
in the storage device
16 and the data-access device
18.
Although the guide members
46,
47 are preferably made of a
stiff material (e.g., a hard plastic or metal), the guide members
46,
47
may be manufactured from any suitable material. In addition, the guide members
46,
47 may be any suitable shape. For example, the guide members
46,
47 may be "fins" or "blades", such as those shown in FIG.
4(
a)
through FIG.
4(
c). However, other embodiments are also contemplated
as being within the scope of the invention, as will become apparent to one skilled
in the art after having become familiar with the teachings of the present invention.
For example, in other embodiments the guide members
46,
47 may be
substantially "T-shaped", or may form circular openings that cooperate with cylindrical
guides in the storage devices
16 and the data-access device
18.
The hard disk drive
12 may also comprise a connector
22 mounted
to the housing
44, as shown in FIG.
4(
a) through FIG.
4(
b).
The connector
22 provides a link from the hard disk drive
12 to the
data-access device
18 (e.g., mating connector
20, FIG.
6).
The connectors
20 on the data-access device
18 may be linked to a
controller
19 or directly to the user's computer (e.g., over a network).
Accordingly, the hard disk drive
12 may be linked to the user's computer
when the hard disk drive
12 is connected to the data-access device
18.
Accordingly, the hard disk drive
12 may be linked to the user's computer
when the hard disk drive
12 is connected to the data-access device
18.
The connector
22 may be any suitable connector. In one embodiment, the
connector
22 may comprise multiple connections or pins, including pins for
data transfer, power, and ground. In addition, the connector
22 may be a
"hot swappable" connector so that the hard disk drive
12 can be readily
connected without having to power down the data-access device
18. For example,
the connector
22 may be a readily-available single connector attachment
(SCA) such as those used in RAID storage systems. SCA connectors provide the conventional
68-pin data connection, 4-pin power connection, and configuration jumpers on a
single 80-pin connector. However, it is understood that other embodiments of the
connector
22 are also contemplated as being within the scope of the invention.
The hard disk drive
12 may also comprise a bracket member
48 mounted
to (or integrally formed as part of) the housing
44. The bracket member
48 cooperates with the thumb assembly
38 on the picker assembly
28
so that the thumb assembly
38 engages the bracket member to withdraw the
hard disk drive
12 from the data-access device
18 and the storage
device
16. However, other embodiments are also contemplated as being within
the scope of the present invention. For example, the bracket member
48 may
instead be a notch formed in the housing
44 of the hard disk drive
12
that cooperates with the thumb assembly
38 on the picker assembly
28.
Where the picker assembly
28 comprises an alternative retrieval mechanism,
a suitable alternative to the bracket member
48 may also be provided to
cooperate therewith.
Optionally, the hard disk drive
12 may be provided with machine-readable
indicia
49 (e.g., a bar code label). It is understood that the machine-readable
indicia
49 may comprise any suitable indicia, and is not limited to the
bar code label shown and described herein. For example, the machine-readable indicia
49 may comprise a transponder. In any event, the machine-readable indicia
49 may be read with a suitable reader and control circuitry and used to
identify the data cartridges
12 in the library
14. For example, where
the machine-readable indicia
49 is a bar code label, a bar code scanner
may be provided on the picker assembly
28 so that the bar code labels can
be read from the hard disk drives
12 as the picker assembly
28 is
moved along the displacement path
26 in the library
14. Alternatively,
where the machine-readable indicia is a transponder, inductive readers may be provided
adjacent the transponder in each the storage devices
16 and in the data-access
device
18 to activate and read the information from the transponder.
An embodiment of the data-access device
18 is shown in more detail in
FIG.
6. The data-access device
18 may comprise a backplane
58 having
one or more connectors
20 mounted thereto. The number of connectors
20
mounted on the backplane may vary according to design considerations. For example,
more connectors
20 provided on the backplane
58 allow more hard disk
drives
12 to be simultaneously accessed.
The connectors
20 are each linked to a power source (not shown) which
provides electrical power to the hard disk drive
12 when it is linked to
the connector
20 at the data-access device
18. The connectors
20
also provide a data transfer connection (e.g., through control circuitry
19)
that can be used to perform the read/write operations requested by the user(s).
The data-access device
18 may also comprise a housing
54. The housing
54 may be manufactured similarly to the housing
46 of the storage
device
16. Indeed, in some embodiments the data-access device
18
may be removable from the library
14 (e.g., so that it can be easily replaced).
The guides
56 function similarly to the guides
52 in the storage
devices
16 to align the hard disk drive
12 when it is inserted therein.
In addition, the guides
56 align the connector
22 on the hard disk
drive
12 with the connector
20 mounted on the backplane
58
of the data-access device
18 so that the connectors
20,
22
can be linked to one another. Again, the guides
56 may be any suitable shape
to cooperate with the guide member
46,
47 on the hard disk drives
12.
The hard disk drive storage system
10 may be operated as follows, according
to one embodiment of the invention. When a user connected to the hard disk drive
storage system
10 (e.g., via a networked computer) requests a read/write
operation, the controller (not shown) signals the picker assembly
28 to
retrieve one of the hard disk drives
12 from one of the storage devices
16.
The picker assembly
28 is moved along the displacement path
26
on the positioning rail
24 so that it is adjacent the selected data cartridge
12 in the storage device
16. Although a data-access device
18
is shown in FIG. 7, the operation of the picker assembly
28 to retrieve
one of the hard disk drives
12 from the storage device
16 is similar
for purposes of illustration. Once the picker assembly
28 is properly positioned
in the library
14, the plunge mechanism
38 is moved in the direction
of arrow
41 until it engages the hard disk drive
12. The arrangement
of the plunge mechanism
38 is such that it engages the bracket member
48
on the hard disk drive
12 when the plunge mechanism
38 is at or near
its fully-extended position.
After the hard disk drive
12 has been engaged by the plunge mechanism
38, the plunge mechanism
38 reverses direction, generally as shown
by arrow
42 in FIG.
7. Accordingly, the engaged hard disk drive
12
is withdrawn from the storage device
16 and is received in the cartridge-receiving
cavity
36 defined by the housing
40 of the picker assembly
28.
The plunge mechanism
38 continues to retract until the hard disk drive
12
is received within the cartridge-receiving cavity
36 of the picker assembly
28 by an amount sufficient to allow the picker assembly
28 to move
to another location in the library
14.
Once the hard disk drive
12 has been retrieved, the picker assembly
28
is moved to the data-access device
18. The picker assembly
28 then
ejects the hard disk drive
12 by moving the plunge mechanism
38 in
the direction of arrow
41, as shown in FIG.
7. The guide members
46,
48 on the hard disk drive
12 cooperate with the guides
56 formed in the data-access device
18 to align the hard disk drive
12 therein. The plunge mechanism
38 continues to move in the direction
of arrow
41 as the connector
22 on the hard disk drive
12
contacts the connector
20 on the backplane
58 of the data-access
device
18 and then links thereto (e.g., by pressing together) so that the
hard disk drive
12 is ready for the read/write operation.
During the read/write operation, the picker assembly
28 may be used
to retrieve and/or return other hard disk drives
12 in the storage system
10. Following the read/write operation, the picker assembly
28 may
be returned to the data-access device
18 and positioned adjacent the hard
disk drive
12 (i.e., when it has been moved elsewhere in the library
14).
The picker assembly
28 may then be operated to engage the hard disk drive
12 from the data-access device
18, as previously described. As the
hard disk drive
12 is being withdrawn from the data-access device
18,
the connectors
20,
22 disengage from one another. The plunge mechanism
38 continues to retract until the hard disk drive
12 is received
within the cartridge-receiving cavity
36 of the picker assembly
28
by an amount sufficient to allow the picker assembly
28 to move to another
location in the library
14. The picker assembly
28 may then be operated
to return the hard disk drive
12 to the storage device
16.
It is readily apparent that the hard disk drives
12 for use with the hard
disk drive storage system
10 of the present invention provide the users
with fast access to their data. Also advantageously, the hard disk drives
12
are physically disconnected when not in use, reducing wear and tear and/or permanent
damage or data loss that may occur if the hard disk drives
12 were always
connected. In addition, the hard disk drive storage system
10 requires less
cabling than an "always-connected" system.
*
