Patent ID: 6865640

Claim:
A data storage and retrieval system, comprising: a first plurality of hard disk drive storage slots; a first plurality of backplane connectors; a first plurality of hard disk drives removably disposed within said first plurality of hard disk drive storage slots, such that each of said first plurality of hard disk drives is in electrical contact with one of said first plurality of backplane connectors; a first switch; a first plurality of read/write encoders; a first plurality of communication links, wherein one of said first plurality of communication links connects one of said first plurality of backplane connectors with one of said first plurality of read/write encoders; a second plurality of communication links, wherein one of said second plurality of communication links connects one of said first plurality of read/write encoders to said first switch; a controller, wherein said controller is connected to said switch by a third communication link; and one or a plurality of first external servers; one or a plurality of fourth communication links, wherein one of said one or a plurality of fourth communication links connects each of said one or a plurality of first external servers to said first switch.