Data storage system

Abstract

A data storage system ( 30 ) includes multiple storage devices arranged in an array. A column in the array includes storage devices ( 12, 14, 16 ) mounted on a tray ( 22 ). The storage devices ( 12, 14, 16 ) and the tray ( 22 ) form an air channel ( 28 ) for efficient heat dissipation. The data storage system ( 30 ) may include multiple columns inserted in multiple slots of a chassis ( 35 ), thereby forming a memory board.

1 . A data storage system, comprising: 
 a first tray having a first end and a second end, a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending between the first end and the second end and opposite to each other, and a surface between the first sidewall and the second sidewall; and    a first storage device mounted on said first tray between the first sidewall and the second sidewall and having a major surface in proximity to the surface of said first tray, said first storage device and said first tray forming a first air channel there between.    
     
     
         2 . The data storage system of  claim 1 , wherein said first storage device includes a hard disk drive.  
     
     
         3 . The data storage system of  claim 1 , further comprising a chassis having a first opening, wherein said first tray is mounted in the first opening of said chassis.  
     
     
         4 . The data storage system of  claim 3 , wherein said first tray is removably mounted in the first opening of said chassis.  
     
     
         5 . The data storage system of  claim 3 , further comprising an airflow generator mounted on said chassis adjacent the second end of said first tray in the first opening, said airflow generator generating an airflow in the first air channel.  
     
     
         6 . The data storage system of  claim 3 , further comprising a second storage device mounted on said first tray and substantially coplanar with said first storage device, said second storage device being between said first storage device and the second end of said first tray.  
     
     
         7 . The data storage system of  claim 6 , further comprising a third storage device mounted on said first tray, said third storage device being between said second storage device and the second end of said first tray.  
     
     
         8 . The data storage system of  claim 7 , wherein said chassis further has a second, a third, and a fourth openings substantially parallel to the first opening, said data storage system further comprising: 
 a second, a third, and a fourth trays mounted in the second, third, and fourth openings, respectively, of said chassis;    a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth storage devices mounted on said second tray and defining a second air channel there between;    a seventh, an eighth, and a ninth storage devices mounted on said third tray and defining a third air channel there between; and    a tenth, an eleventh, and a twelfth storage devices mounted on said fourth tray and defining a fourth air channel there between.    
     
     
         9 . The data storage system of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 data accessing circuitry, said data accessing circuitry writing data into and reading data from said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth storage devices;    signal processing circuitry coupled to said data accessing circuitry, said signal processing circuitry processing data written to and data read from said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth storage devices;    power supply circuitry coupled to said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth storage devices and mounted on said chassis; and    a suction fan mounted on said chassis, adjacent the second ends of said first, second, third, and fourth trays in the corresponding first, second, third, and fourth opening in said chassis, said suction fan generating airflows through the first, second, third, and fourth air channels.    
     
     
         10 . The data storage system of  claim 8 , wherein said chassis further has a fifth, a sixth, a seventh, and an eighth openings substantially parallel and coplanar with each other, and overlying the first, second, third, and fourth openings, respectively, said data storage system further comprising: 
 a fifth, a sixth, a seventh, and an eighth, trays mounted in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth openings, respectively, of said chassis;    a thirteenth, a fourteenth, and a fifteenth storage devices mounted on said fifth tray;    a sixteenth, a seventeenth, and an eighteenth storage devices mounted on said sixth tray;    a nineteenth, a twentieth, and a twenty-first storage devices mounted on said seventh tray; and    a twenty-second, a twenty-third, and a twenty-fourth storage devices mounted on said eighth tray.    
     
     
         11 . A data storage system, comprising: 
 a plurality of trays, each having a first end and a second end;    a plural sets of storage devices, each set including a plurality of storage devices mounted between the first end and the second end of a corresponding tray of said plurality of trays and forming an air channel with the corresponding tray; and    a plurality of data transmission lines coupled to said plural sets of storage devices.    
     
     
         12 . The data storage system of  claim 11 , further comprising a chassis having a plurality of slots substantially parallel to each other, wherein said plurality of trays removably slide into the plurality of slots in said chassis.  
     
     
         13 . The data storage system of  claim 12 , further comprising an airflow generator mounted on said chassis, said airflow generator generating an airflow in the air channel in each of said plurality of trays.  
     
     
         14 . The data storage system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a data accessing circuit coupled to said plural sets of storage devices and mounted on said chassis, said data access circuit being capable of simultaneously accessing data in multiple storage devices in said plural sets of storage devices; and    a power supply circuit coupled to said plural sets of storage devices and mounted on said chassis.    
     
     
         15 . The data storage system of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said plurality of trays include four trays;    said plural sets of storage devices include four sets of storage devices; and    each set of storage devices includes three hard disk drives.    
     
     
         16 . A data storage system, comprising: 
 a chassis having a plurality of slots substantially parallel to each other;    a plurality of trays, each removably mounted on a corresponding slot of the plurality of slots in said chassis; and having a first end and a second end;    a plural sets of storage devices, each set including a plurality of storage devices mounted between the first end and the second of a corresponding tray in said plurality of trays and forming an air channel with said corresponding tray; and    a data access circuit coupled to said plural sets of storage devices.    
     
     
         17 . The data storage system of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one fan mounted on said chassis, said at least one fan generating airflow in the air channel in each of said plurality of trays.  
     
     
         18 . The data storage system of  claim 16 , each set in said plural sets of storage devices including three hard disk drives.  
     
     
         19 . The data storage system of  claim 18 , the plurality of slots in said chassis including a first group of slots comprised of a first, a second, a third, and a fourth slots substantially coplanar with each other.  
     
     
         20 . The data storage system of  claim 19 , the plurality of slots in said chassis include a second group of slots substantially coplanar with each other and overlying the first group of slots.  
     
     
         21 . A network server for supplying data to a client over a network, comprising: 
 a data storage unit, said data storage unit including: 
 a plurality of trays;  
 a plural sets of storage devices, each set including a plurality of storage devices mounted a corresponding tray of said plurality of trays and forming an air channel with said corresponding tray; and  
   a digital signal processing unit coupled to said data storage system, said digital signal processing unit being capable of simultaneously access multiple storage devices in said data storage unit; and    a network interface coupled to said digital signal processing unit, said network interface relaying a signal transmission between said digital signal processing unit and the network.    
     
     
         22 . The network server of  claim 21 , said data storage unit further including a board having a plurality of slots substantially parallel to each other, wherein said plurality of trays are removably mounted in the plurality of slots in said board.  
     
     
         23 . The network server of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 said plurality of trays include four trays; and    said plural sets of storage devices include twelve hard disk drives divided into four sets.    
     
     
         24 . The network server of  claim 22 , further comprising an airflow generator mounted on said board, said airflow generator generating an airflow in the air channel in each of said plurality of trays in the plurality of slots in said board.  
     
     
         25 . The network server of  claim 24 , said data storage unit further including a power supply circuit coupled to said plural sets of storage devices and mounted on said board, wherein said airflow generator further generating airflow through said power supply circuit.  
     
     
         26 . The network server of  claim 21 , said data storage unit further including a plurality of boards, each having a plurality of slots, wherein said plurality of trays are arranged in a plurality of groups, each group being removably mounted in the plurality of slots in a corresponding board of said plurality of boards.  
     
     
         27 . The network server of  claim 26 , further comprising a mounting rack, wherein said plurality of boards are mounted on said mounting rack substantially overlying each other.  
     
     
         28 . The network server of  claim 27 , wherein: 
 each board of said plurality of boards having four slots substantially parallel to each other; and    each set of said plural sets of storage devices includes three hard disk drives.    
     
     
         29 . The network server of  claim 21 , said digital signal processing unit simultaneously accessing multiple storage devices in said plural sets of storage devices in said data storage unit.  
     
     
         30 . The network server of  claim 29 , said digital signal processing unit accessing data in said data storage unit to supply digital video program data to a plurality of clients through said network interface over the network.