Automated Testing of Hot Swap Scenarios of Field Replaceable Units in a Storage System

An automated test system for hot swapping field replaceable units in a storage system, said storage comprising one or more backplanes, each backplane having one or more connectors and one or more field replaceable units (FRUs), each FRU including a carrier, a storage device, a mating connector for connection to one of the backplane connectors and a latch mechanism for physically locking and unlocking the FRU, wherein all power, data and control signals to and from the storage device pass through its mating connector while the storage system is powered and operational, said automated test system, comprising:

• one or more actuation systems within respective FRUs, each actuation system responsive to a hot swap control signal to move the storage device within the stationary and locked FRU to physically connect or physically disconnect its mating connector to or from the associated backplane connector to create a hot swap event while the storage system is powered and operational;
• a power supply that supplies test power to the one or more actuation systems;
• an automation test server external to said storage system, said test server configured with a control output that generates the hot swap control signal for each of the actuation systems;
• and
• a communication channel that distributes the hot swap control signals from the external automation server to the actuation systems.

A method for automated testing of hot swap events, comprising:

• providing a storage system having one or more backplanes, each backplane having one or more connectors, and one or more field replaceable units (FRUs), each FRU including a carrier, a storage device, a mating connector for connection to one of the backplane connectors and a latch mechanism for physically locking and unlocking the FRU, wherein all power, data and control signals to and from the storage device pass through its mating connector while the storage system is powered and operational;
• providing power, data and control signals to operate the storage system;
• providing one or more of the FRUs with an actuation system configured to move the storage device to physically connect or physically disconnect its mating connector to or from the associated backplane connector;
• providing test power for the actuation systems in the one or more FRUs;
• providing hot swap control signals for each the actuation system external to the storage system;
• communicating the hot swap control signals to the actuation systems within the one or more FRUs;
• and
• responsive to said hot swap control signals, the one or more actuation systems moving the storage device within the stationary and locked FRU to physically connect or physically disconnect its mating connector to or from the associated backplane connector to create a hot swap event while the storage system is powered and operational.