Data storage system connectors with parallel array of dense memory cards and high airflow

An apparatus comprising:

• a midplane printed circuit board (PCB);
• a plurality of connectors aligned in a row and mounted on the midplane PCB, each of the plurality of connectors including a slot to receive a card edge connector of a solid state drive (SSD) memory card in a direction parallel to the midplane PCB, the slot extending orthogonally from the midplane PCB, the slot including electrical contacts to couple with second electrical contacts of the card edge connector of the SSD memory card;
• and
• a plurality of solid state drive (SSD) memory cards, each of the plurality of SSD memory cards having a card edge connector at one end of the memory card to be received by the slot of one of the plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of SSD memory cards to extend parallel to one another and to extend orthogonally from the midplane PCB.

An apparatus comprising:

• a horizontal midplane printed circuit board (PCB);
• a plurality of connectors aligned in a row and mounted on the horizontal midplane PCB, each of the plurality of connectors including a slot to horizontally receive a card edge connector of a solid state drive (SSD) memory card, the slot extending vertically and orthogonally from the horizontal midplane PCB, the slot including electrical contacts to couple with second electrical contacts of the card edge connector of the SSD memory card;
• and
• wherein the SSD memory card includes the card edge connector at one end of the SSD memory card to be received by the slot, the SSD memory card to extend orthogonally from the horizontal midplane PCB when the card edge connector is received by the slot.

A system including:

• a rack-mount chassis;
• a printed circuit board (PCB) in the rack-mount chassis;
• a row of connectors mounted on the PCB, each connector of the row including a slot to receive a card edge connector of a solid state drive (SSD) memory card in a direction parallel to the PCB, the slot extending orthogonally from the PCB, the slot including electrical contacts to couple with second electrical contacts of the card edge connector of the SSD memory card;
• and
• a plurality of solid state drive (SSD) memory cards, each of the plurality of SSD memory cards having a card edge connector at one end of the memory card to be received by the slot of one of the row of connectors, each of the plurality of SSD memory cards having a first edge to extend parallel to one another and parallel to the PCB and a second shorter edge to extend orthogonally from the PCB.