Patent ID: 7643281

Claim:
A storage controller, comprising: an enclosure; a plurality of storage devices, which are disposed inside said enclosure, and which are for storing data; at least one control board, which is disposed inside said enclosure, and which is for controlling the operation of said respective storage devices; at least one power device, which is disposed inside said enclosure, and which is for supplying power to said respective storage devices and said control board; at least one cooling fan, which is disposed inside said enclosure, and which takes in air from outside said enclosure and generates cooling air inside said enclosure; and at least one device connector for connecting a new storage device, which is different from said respective storage devices inside said enclosure, to said control board, wherein at least said respective storage devices, said control board, said power device, and said cooling fan are disposed inside said enclosure so as to be irreplaceable under normal circumstances, and said new storage device can be replaceably attached to said device connector to enable the storage of data even when said respective storage devices, which have been irreplaceably mounted in said enclosure beforehand, become incapable of being used, wherein said plurality of storage devices are arranged in a matrix in one side of said enclosure by placing said respective storage devices in close proximity to form a row, and stacking a plurality of rows in close proximity one atop the other, said control board is located at the other side of said enclosure, and is disposed inside said enclosure so as to be irreplaceable under normal circumstances, said respective storage devices and said control board are connected via a connection board, said connection board being located in the one side of said enclosure, and is disposed horizontally inside said enclosure, inlets for taking air inside said enclosure are formed between said respective storage devices, an outlet for discharging cooling air generated by said cooling fan to the outside of said enclosure is formed at the other side of said enclosure, said respective storage devices are arranged in the same numbers on the top surface and bottom surface of said connection board, and are respectively connected to said connection board, and said control board is horizontally disposed inside said enclosure so as to be connected to one end of said connection board.