Modular storage system

A data management system comprising:

• first and second base stations;
• and
• a brick configured to be removed from the first base station and physically mounted to the second base station, wherein the brick comprises:
• a frame;
• a disk drive array held in the frame, the disk drive array comprising a plurality of disk drives;
• and
• a backplane coupled to the disk drive array, wherein the backplane comprises:
• a non-volatile memory device configured to store configuration data concerning the brick and information concerning each of the disk drives of the disk drive array;
• and
• a first electrical connector configured to electrically couple the brick to the first base station or the second base station,
• wherein each of the first and second base station comprises:
• a second electrical connector configured to electrically couple the base station to the brick;
• a disk drive array controller;
• and
• a power controller for controlling power to the brick,
• wherein, in response to mounting the brick to the second base station after being removed from the first base station, the disk drive array controller in the second base station is configured to query the brick to retrieve the configuration data stored in the non-volatile memory of the brick and automatically reconfigure the disk drive array controller based on the retrieved configuration data, and
• wherein the second electrical connector in the second base station is configured to provide power and disk drive array interface signals to the first electrical connector in the brick when the brick is physically mounted to the second base station.

A first base station configured to be used in a modular data management system comprising a modular storage system module, the first base station, and a second base station, wherein the modular storage system module comprises a disk drive array comprising a plurality of disk drives and a backplane coupled to the disk drive array, the backplane comprising a non-volatile memory device configured to store configuration data concerning the modular storage system module and information concerning each of the disk drives of the disk drive array, and a first electrical connector configured to electrically couple the modular storage system module to the first base station or the second base station, the first base station comprising:

• a second electrical connector configured to supply power to the modular storage system module when the modular storage system module is electrically coupled to the first base station;
• control logic configured to read the configuration data and the information concerning each of the disk drives of the disk drive array stored in the non-volatile memory device of the module storage system module to configure the control logic to provide power to and to control the disk drive array of the modular storage system module when the modular storage system module is mounted to the first base station;
• and
• a front-end interface for interfacing with the modular storage system module.

A method for managing data, the method comprising:

• removing a brick from a first base station, the brick including a frame, disk drive array held in the frame, the disk drive array comprising a plurality of disk drives, and a backplane coupled to the disk drive array, wherein the backplane comprises a non-volatile memory device configured to store configuration data concerning the brick and information concerning each of the disk drives of the disk drive array, and a first electrical connector configured to electrically couple the brick to a base station;
• physically mounting the brick from the first base station to a second base station, wherein each of the first and second base station includes a second electrical connector configured to electrically couple the base station to the brick, a disk drive array controller, and a power controller for controlling power to the brick;
• in response to mounting the brick to the second base station, querying the brick by the second base station for retrieving configuration data stored in the non-volatile memory of the brick and automatically reconfiguring the disk drive array controller of the second base station based on the retrieved configuration data;
• and
• providing via the second electrical connector in the second base station, power and disk drive array interface signals to the first electrical connector in the brick when the brick is physically mounted to the second base station.