Managing archival storage

A cartridge comprising:

• a processor;
• a plurality of data storage devices;
• a port to receive a data connection to a computer network and to receive and supply power to the cartridge;
• a power management circuitry for managing power supplied from the port to one or more of the plurality of data storage devices;
• and
• a machine-readable medium comprising program code executable by the processor to cause the cartridge to,
• receive a write request from a first requester device via the port, wherein the write request is generated as a multicast message and includes a size indication for a first contiguous range of data;
• responsive to receiving the write request, send a response message via the port to the first requester device indicating an intent to store the first contiguous range of data and indicating a failure risk factor for each of the plurality of data storage devices, wherein a failure risk factor indicates a risk that a data storage device will fail;
• receive, via the port, the first contiguous range of data and an indication of a target data storage device of the plurality of data storage devices from the first requester device, wherein the first requester device selects the target data storage device based, at least in part, on the failure risk factors;
• power on, via the power management circuitry, the indicated target data storage device while keeping at least another data storage device of the plurality of data storage devices powered off;
• and
• write the first contiguous range of data to the target data storage device.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising program code for writing data at a cartridge comprising a plurality of data storage devices, the program code to:

• receive a write request from a requester device, wherein the write request is generated as a multicast message and includes a size indication for a contiguous range of data;
• responsive to reception of the write request, send a response message to the requester device indicating an intent to store the contiguous range of data and indicating a failure risk factor for each of the plurality of data storage devices, wherein a failure risk factor indicates a risk that a data storage device will fail;
• receive the contiguous range of data and an indication of a target data storage device of the plurality of data storage devices from the requester device, wherein the requester device selects the target data storage device based, at least in part, on the failure risk factors;
• power on the indicated target data storage device while keeping at least another data storage device in the cartridge of the plurality of data storage devices powered off;
• and
• write the contiguous range of data to the target data storage device.