Method and apparatus to transfer information between different categories of servers and one or more data storage media

A method to perform a disk operation using a data storage and retrieval system comprising one or more hard disks individually disposed in one or more portable hard disk drive units, a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more first servers, and a second information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request from said one or more first servers to perform a disk operation on a designated one of said one or more hard disks;
• releaseably coupling said designated hard disk to said second information transfer station;
• and
• performing said disk operation using said one or more second servers.

A method to store information using a data storage and retrieval system comprising one or more hard disks, one or more portable hard disk drive units individually housing one of said one or more hard disks, a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more first servers, a second information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, and a transfer hard disk housed in a portable hard disk drive unit, comprising the steps of:

• receiving information from said one or more first servers;
• designating one or more of said one or more hard disks;
• releaseably coupling said transfer hard disk to said first information transfer station;
• writing said information on said transfer hard disk;
• releaseably coupling said transfer hard disk to said second information transfer station;
• copying said information on said one or more second servers;
• releaseably coupling to said second information transfer station said one or more designated hard disks;
• and
• writing said information on said one or more designated hard disks.

A method to retrieve information from a data storage and retrieval system comprising one or more hard disks individually disposed in one or more portable hard disk drive units, a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more first servers, and a second information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, comprising the steps of:

• receiving from said one or more first servers a request to retrieve information stored on one or more of said one or more hard disks;
• selecting one of said one or more hard disks;
• releaseably coupling said selected hard disk to said second information transfer station;
• determining if said information is stored on said selected hard disk;
• operative if said information is stored on said selected hard disk, releaseably coupling said selected hard disk to said first information transfer station;
• and
• proving said information to said one or more first servers.

A method to transfer information between servers using a data storage and retrieval system comprising one or more hard disks individually disposed in one or more portable hard disk drive units, a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more first servers, a second information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, and an accessor comprising a memory device and an information connector in communication with said memory device, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request from said one or more first servers to transfer information to said one or more second servers;
• releaseably coupling said information connector to said first information transfer station;
• storing said information in said memory device;
• releaseably coupling said information connector to said second information transfer station;
• and
• copying said information from said memory device to said one or more second servers.

A data storage and retrieval system comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein for performing a disk operation, wherein said data storage and retrieval system comprises one or more hard disks individually disposed in one or more portable hard disk drive units, a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more first servers, and a second information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

• receiving a request from said one or more first servers to perform a disk operation on a designated one of said one or more hard disks;
• releaseably coupling said designated hard disk to said second information transfer station;
• and
• performing said disk operation using said one or more second servers.

A data storage and retrieval system comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein for storing information on two or more hard disks, wherein said data storage and retrieval system comprises one or more hard disks individually disposed in one or more portable hard disk drive units, a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more first servers, a second information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, and a transfer hard disk disposed in a portable hard disk drive unit, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

• receiving information from said one or more first servers;
• designating one or more of said one or more hard disks;
• releaseably coupling said transfer hard disk to said first information transfer station;
• writing said information on said transfer hard disk;
• releaseably coupling said transfer hard disk to said second information transfer station;
• copying said information on said one or more second servers;
• releaseably coupling to said second information transfer station said one or more designated hard disks;
• and
• writing said information on said one or more designated hard disks.

A data storage and retrieval system comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein for retrieving information stored on one or more hard disks, wherein said data storage and retrieval system comprises one or more hard disks individually disposed in one or more portable hard disk drive units, a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more first servers, and a second information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

• receiving from said one or more first servers a request to retrieve designated information;
• selecting one of said one or more hard disks;
• releaseably coupling said selected hard disk to said second information transfer station;
• determining if said designated information is stored on said selected hard disk;
• operative if said designated information is stored on said selected hard disk, releaseably coupling said selected hard disk to said first information transfer station;
• and
• providing said designated information to said one or more first servers.

A data storage and retrieval system comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein for transferring information between servers, wherein said data storage and retrieval system comprises one or more hard disks individually disposed in one or more portable hard disk drive units, a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more first servers, a second information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, and an accessor comprising a memory device and an information connector in communication with said memory device, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

• receiving a request from said one or more first servers to transfer information to said one or more second servers;
• releaseably coupling said information connector to said first information transfer station;
• storing said information in said memory device;
• releaseably coupling said information connector to said second information transfer station;
• and
• copying said information from said memory device to said one or more second servers.

A method to transfer information from a first data storage library to a second data storage library, wherein said first data storage library is capable of communication with one or more first servers and comprises one or more first portable data storage media and a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, and wherein said second data storage library is capable of communication with said one or more first servers and comprises one or more second portable data storage media and a second information transfer station capable of communication with said one or more second servers, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request from said one or more first servers to transfer information stored on one or more designated first portable data storage media to one or more designated second portable data storage media;
• releaseably coupling said one or more designated first portable data storage media to said first information transfer station;
• copying said information by said one or more second servers;
• releaseably coupling said one or more designated second portable data storage media to said second information transfer station;
• and
• writing said information on said one or more designated second portable data storage media.

A data storage and retrieval system comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein for transferring information between a first data storage library and a second data storage library, wherein said first data storage library is capable of communication with one or more first servers and comprises one or more first portable data storage media and a first information transfer station capable of communication with one or more second servers, and wherein said second data storage library is capable of communication with said one or more first servers and comprises one or more second portable data storage media and a second information transfer station capable of communication with said one or more second servers, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

• receiving a request from said one or more first servers to transfer information stored on one or more designated first portable data storage media to one or more designated second portable data storage media;
• releaseably coupling said one or more designated first portable data storage media to said first information transfer station;
• copying said information by said one or more second servers;
• releaseably coupling said one or more designated second portable data storage media to said second information transfer station;
• and
• writing said information on said one or more designated second portable data storage media.