Patent ID: 8302137

Claim:
A method to provide a signal via a communication link, comprising the steps of: providing an information storage and retrieval system comprising a controller ( 132 ), device adapter ( 210 ) interconnected to said controller and comprising a first communication link control card ( 240 ) comprising a transponder reader ( 260 ), a first connector ( 350 ), a first RAID rank ( 220 ) comprising a first array of disk drives, a second RAID rank ( 230 ) comprising a second array of disk drives, a communication loop ( 205 ) comprising a second communication link control card ( 250 ) wherein said communication loop interconnects said first RAID rank and said second RAID rank; providing a communication link ( 280 ) comprising a length, an end ( 320 ), a second connector ( 330 ) disposed on said end, and a passive transponder ( 340 ) disposed on said second connector, wherein said passive transponder ( 340 ) includes a memory comprising information including said length; interconnecting said-first connector ( 350 ) and said second connector ( 330 ); wirelessly reading said information from said memory by said first communication link control card; and adjusting a pre-emphasis level of said signal based upon said information wherein: said second connector ( 330 ) is disposed external to said device adapter ( 210 ); said passive transponder ( 340 ) is disposed external to said device adapter ( 210 ); said transponder reader ( 260 ) is disposed within said device adapter ( 210 ).