Patent ID: 8537006

Claim:
A data storage device for use in cooperation with a data processing system external to the data storage device, the data storage device comprising: a housing; a plurality of discrete individual non-volatile main data storage units carried by the housing; a data bus carried by the housing and coupled to each of the main data storage units to transmit data to and receive data from the main data storage units; a power bus carried by the housing and coupled to each of the main data storage units; the power bus having, for each main data storage unit, at least one switch associated with the main data storage unit and operable to selectively permit or interrupt current flow to the main data storage unit; a controller carried by the housing and coupled to the power bus to receive power therefrom and operable to selectively open and close the switches; the controller being isolated from the data bus and isolated from the main data storage units; a data communication port carried by the housing and coupled to the data bus to enable external communication to and from the main data storage units; a controller communication port carried by the housing and coupled to the controller to enable external communication to and from the controller; the data communication port and the controller communication port being distinct from and isolated from one another; and a power port carried by the housing and coupled to the power bus for connection to an external power source.