Patent ID: 7181640

Claim:
An external storage system comprising: a plurality of external storage devices connected to each other in a ring configuration via communication channels, wherein one of said external storage devices includes: a first connection unit having a first input port and a first output port, wherein said first input port and said first output port are connected to an output port and an input port, respectively, of a first adjacent external storage device from among said plurality of said external storage devices; a second connection unit having a second input port and a second output port, wherein said second input port and said second output port are connected to an output port and an input port, respectively, of a second adjacent external storage device from among said plurality of said external storage devices to form a communication channel; and a connection control unit for causing said second output port and said first output port to send information received by said first input port and said second input port, respectively, when said first and second connection units are enabled, and for causing said output port of one of said connection units to send information received by said input port of the other one of said connection units when one of said connection units is disabled.