Patent ID: 7206953

Claim:
A method for enabling enclosure services in a computer system host including a multi-device enclosure having an enclosure processor for monitoring a condition of devices installed in the enclosure, the enclosure processor in communication with a host bus adapter of the computer system host, the method comprising: providing a communications port between the multi-device enclosure of the computer system host and the host bus adapter of the computer system host; providing a plurality of slots for removably receiving respective devices in the enclosure, with at least one of the devices comprising an Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA)-accessible device; and providing respective transceivers for asynchronously interconnecting the enclosure processor and the host bus adapter of the computer system host through the communications port; configuring the processor to asynchronously notify the host bus adaptor of the status of any given device of the enclosure upon the occurrence of predefined device events, with at least one of the events being selected from the group consisting of device insertion, device withdrawal, and malfunction indications regarding any of the devices of the multi-device enclosure.