Patent ID: 7069358
Filing Date: 2006-06-27
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A disk array system comprising: at least one channel control portion for receiving an input/output request of data from an information processor and exchanging said data with said information processor; at least one disk control portion for exchanging said data with a disk drive in accordance with said input/output request; a cache memory for storing said data exchanged between said channel control portion and said disk control portion; a cache switch for forming a communication path between said channel control portion and said cache memory; a shared memory for storing said input/output request exchanged between said channel control portion and said disk control portion; a plurality of disk drive units, each said disk drive unit including said disk drive, and a canister for storing said disk drive, said canister being provided with a Direct Current/Direct Current (DC/DC) converter connected to an Alternating Current/Direct Current (AC/DC) power unit and transforming an AC input to a DC output with a DC output value as a DC power input for a disk drive for supplying electric power to said drive device for driving said disk drive; and at least one drive storage portion connected to said plurality of disk drive units for detachably storing said disk drive unit, wherein said plurality of disk drive units are disposed adjacently, said canister of each of said disk drive units being provided with at least one Light Emitting Diode (LED) for indicating an operating state of said disk drive stored in said canister, wherein said drive storage portion includes a first connector in which first power unit pins for supplying electric power to said power unit provided in said canister of said disk drive unit, first ground potential supply pins for supplying ground potential and other pins are provided in parallel with an attaching/detaching direction of said disk drive unit, wherein said disk drive unit includes a second connector which is connected to said first connector and in which second power unit pins brought into contact with said first power unit pins at the time of said connection, second ground potential supply pins brought into contact with said first ground potential supply pins at the time of said connection and other pins are provided in parallel with the attaching/detaching direction of said disk drive unit, and wherein when said disk drive unit is attached to said drive storage portion, lengths of the respective pins are set so that said first power unit pins come into contact with said second power unit pins before said other pins of said first connector come into contact with said other pins of said second connector, and that said first ground potential supply pins come into contact with said second ground potential supply pins before said first power unit pins come into contact with said second power unit pins, wherein said other pins of said first connector include first power supply pins through which electric power derived from said power unit provided in said canister of said disk drive unit in order to drive said disk drive is once led to said drive storage portion, wherein said other pins of said second connector include second power supply pins which are brought into contact with said first power supply pins when said first and second connectors are connected to each other, wherein said drive storage portion includes a third connector in which third power supply pins through which said electric power derived from said power unit and once led to said drive storage portion is supplied to said disk drive in order to drive said disk drive are provided in parallel with the attaching/detaching direction of said disk drive unit, wherein said disk drive unit includes a fourth connector which is connected to said third connector and in which fourth power supply pins brought into contact with said third power supply pins at the time of said connection are provided in parallel with the attaching/detaching direction of said disk drive unit, and wherein when said disk drive unit is attached to said drive storage portion, lengths of the respective pins are set so that said first power supply pins come into contact with said second power supply pins before said third power supply pins come into contact with said fourth power supply pins.”