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US 2019/0171606 A1Published application
Modular mass storage system
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDarin Lee Frink, Peter George Ross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for storing data includes a rack, one or more data storage modules coupled to the rack, and one or more data control modules coupled to the rack. The data storage modules may include a chassis, two or more backplanes coupled to the chassis, and one or more mass storage devices (for example, hard disk drives) coupled to the backplanes. The data control modules may access the mass storage devices in the data storage modules.
Claims21
1-26. (canceled)
A method of providing data storage, comprising:
- providing two or more mass storage devices on two or more backplanes coupled to a common chassis;
- powering down or placing on standby one or more of the mass storage devices, wherein another one of the two or more mass storage devices remains powered up or awakened;
- in response to a determination that data on one of the one or more mass storage devices that is powered down or on standby needs to be accessed, waking up at least one of the one or more mass storage devices that is powered down or on standby;
- and
- accessing data on at least one of the awakened mass storage devices.
2 more elements
A method of cooling a data storage unit, comprising:
- flowing air through an air passage between a backplane and a chassis, wherein a plurality of mass storage devices are coupled to the backplane on a first side of the backplane and the air passage is located on a second side of the backplane, between the backplane and the chassis;
- and
- venting at least a portion of the air flowing through the air passage through openings in the backplane, wherein the vented portion of the air removes heat from the mass storage devices coupled to the backplane.
A method of providing a data storage module, comprising:
- mounting a backplane in a chassis of the data storage module such that a gap is formed between the backplane and a panel of the chassis, wherein the gap is configured to function as an air passage between the chassis and the backplane, and wherein the backplane comprises a plurality of openings configured to vent air from a first side of the backplane adjacent to the air passage to another side of the backplane;
- and
- coupling mass storage devices to the backplane at locations adjacent to the openings, such that air vented from the air passage via the openings removes waste heat from the mass storage devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.