International Business Machines Corporation

Eric T Gamble

Edward John McNulty

Brian Hargrove Leonard

Brian Alan Trumbo

Roland Kamakau Alo

Joaquin F Pacheco

James Robert Drake

Carl Evan Jones

Jason Aaron Matteson

Paul Andrew Wormsbecher

Eric Allen Stegner

Karl Klaus Dittus

Kenton Coleman Green

John Geoffrey Gundlach

David Arvin Verburg

Steve J Livaccari

Henry Pesulima

John A Poetzinger

Timothy J M Louie

Robert D Peavler

Timothy Landell

A method for generating a storage drive qualification test plan includes receiving input values for a plurality of variables for a qualification test of a storage drive model. Each variable has a drive requirement weight and/or a testing schedule weight. The method includes determining a plurality of weighted drive requirement values by adjusting each input value having a corresponding drive requirement weight by the corresponding drive requirement weight and determining a plurality of weighted testing schedule values by adjusting each input value having a corresponding testing schedule weight by the corresponding testing schedule weight. The method also includes determining a storage drive requirement by increasing or decreasing a baseline storage drive requirement according to the weighted drive requirement values. The method includes determining a testing schedule by increasing or decreasing a baseline testing schedule according to the weighted testing schedule values.

Generating a storage drive qualification test plan

A method and computer program product for sending a data request from a host bus adapter logic processor to a hard disk drive, setting a standard time out period for receiving a reply from the hard disk drive, sensing vibration in the hard disk drive, sending a vibration alert signal from the hard disk drive to the host bus adapter logic processor in response to the sensed vibration exceeding a predetermined amount of vibration, and, in response to receiving the vibration alert signal from the hard disk drive, the host bus adapter logic processor establishing an extended time out period for receiving the reply. The rotational vibration sensor used by the hard disk drive for repositioning the read/write head may also be used to sense the vibration and form the basis for the vibration alert signal, such as a vibration error code. By extending the time out period during high vibration events, the hard disk drive can ride out the event without being tagged as having failed. Accordingly, the hard disk drive can then be available for use following the high vibration event.

Hard disk drive availability following transient vibration

A carrier for a hot-pluggable disk drive has a frame with a pair of side walls, a front bezel, and a rear connector assembly. The disk drive mounts to the frame within its confines. The carrier also has pipes for transmitting light to the front bezel. The light pipes extend along the side wall from the front bezel to the rear connector assembly. The carrier is installed in the disk drive docking bay of a computer system. The rear end of the docking bay has a docking connector for interconnecting with the rear connector assembly, which also interconnects with the drive. The rear connector assembly is provided with a retainer for supporting the rearward ends of the light pipes. When the carrier is seated in the docking bay, the light pipes precisely align with activity lights at the back of the docking bay. The light emitted by the activity lights is transmitted through the light pipes and displayed at the front bezel for viewing by the user.

Interconnector and light pipe guide for disk drive and disk drive carrier

Slim disk drive tray bezel

An integrated cooling and retention bracket is detachably coupled to a computer processor cartridge having a heatsink mounted thereto. The bracket is U-shaped with a cross-bar and a short, perpendicular arm on each end of the cross-bar. The lower end of each arm acts as a hinge for an upward-turned extension on the outer side of each arm. Each extension has a rounded knob at its tip and an outward protruding tooth therebelow. An integrally formed, cooling fan mounting structure is located on top of the cross-bar. The mounting structure has two side panels with a central opening therebetween for holding a conventional cooling fan, which is snap mounted inside the central opening. The cartridge and bracket assembly is installed in a retention mechanism on a printed circuit board. The teeth on the bracket snap into holes in the posts in the retention mechanism to electrically interconnect the processor cartridge to the circuit board. With the assembly installed in the retention mechanism, the fan is located directly adjacent to the cartridge for cooling the processor. The concave surfaces of the end wall and the baffle direct airflow from the fan along the entire width heatsink to maximize the cooling capability of the fan.

System for enhanced cooling and latching of pluggable electronic component

A plurality of shock absorbing feet are formed by extruding a resilient material into an elongated shape having a hole that extends in the direction of elongation. Next, the elongated shape is cut into sections to form individual feet, each foot having a hole that extends from one end to the other. A plurality of tabs are attached to a disk drive or other computer sub-system carrier at one end of each tab, while the other end of each tab extends out from the carrier in a direction substantially parallel to a table or other resting surface on which the carrier can be placed. Each foot is attached to a unique one of the tabs by sliding the feet over the tabs such that the tabs are inserted into the holes in the feet.

Shock absorbing feet for a disk drive carrier or other computer sub-system housing

A &ldquo;hot-pluggable&rdquo; hard disk drive is mounted in a removable hard disk drive tray. The hard disk drive tray has a vibration dampening system for reducing vibration between the hard disk drive, the hard disk drive tray, and a hard disk drive docking bay located within a computer system. The vibration dampening system has three primary components. The first component is a strip of polymeric material located between an end of the hard disk drive tray and the docking bay. The second component of the vibration dampening system is a set of polymeric strips located between an inner surface of the tray and the hard disk drive. The third component of the vibration dampening system is a set of spring assemblies. Each spring assembly is located between the sides of the tray and the docking bay.

Vibration dampening system for removable hard disk drive carriers

Half-high disk drive tray bezel

A carrier for a hot-pluggable hard disk drive has a frame with a pair of side walls, a front bezel, and a rear connector assembly. The hard disk drive mounts to the frame within its confines. One of the side walls has a pair of channels in its outer surface. The carrier also has a visible light pipe mounted in each of its channels. The light pipes extend along the side wall from the front bezel to the rear connector assembly. The carrier is installed in the hard disk drive docking bay of a computer system. The rear end of the docking bay has a docking connector for interconnecting with the drive, and a pair of activity lights. When the carrier is seated in the docking bay, the rear ends of the light pipes are precisely aligned with the activity lights and separated from them by a small clearance. The light emitted by the activity lights is transmitted through the light pipes and displayed at the front bezel for viewing by the user.

Light pipe guide and carrier for hard disk drive

A carrier for a hot-pluggable hard disk drive has a frame with a pair of side walls, a front end, and a rear end. The hard disk drive mounts to the frame within its confines. A connector is provided for electrically coupling the hard disk drive to a computer system. A channel is formed in one side wall and a guide surface is formed on the other side wall of the frame. Each side wall has a recess at the front ends of the channel and guide surface. The recesses house shock dampening yokes. Each yoke is a C-shaped member with a hub and a pair of fingers. The carrier mounts in a computer system having a docking bay. Each side of the bay has a guide rib and a docking connector is mounted at the rear. As the carrier is inserted into the bay, the ribs simultaneously engage the channel and the guide surface in the side walls and are directed into the yokes. The yokes allow some compliant motion and deflect to a preload position against the ribs upon contact.

Shock dampening system for hard disk drive carrier

A disk drive enclosure houses a mix of &ldquo;slim&rdquo; and &ldquo;half high&rdquo; disk drive sizes in almost any order. The preferred enclosure includes at least thirteen equi-spaced pairs of guide rails, wherein each pair of rails includes one rail on one side panel of the enclosure, and the other rail of the other side panel of the enclosure. Each pair of guide rails defines a boundary of a &ldquo;slot&rdquo;, such that twelve slots are defined between thirteen pairs of guide rails. Groups of slots are defined, wherein each group includes six contiguous slots. For each group of six slots, four connectors are included on a back panel of the enclosure. Within each group of six slots, the four connectors are positioned within the first, third, fourth and fifth slots, and no connectors are positioned in the second and sixth slots. A &ldquo;no go&rdquo; tab is also placed, adjacent the leading edge of one of the side panels of the enclosure, in the second and sixth slots to prevent the insertion of the rails of a disk drive in these slots. A removable back panel &ldquo;shuttle&rdquo; is included, which can be replaced with a different shuttle to easily and inexpensively convert the enclosure to receive a different type of disk drive.

Disk drive enclosure optimized for mixed slim and half high drive size

A 'hot-pluggable' hard disk drive is mounted in a removable hard disk drive tray. The hard disk drive tray has a vibration dampening system for reducing vibration between the hard disk drive, the hard disk drive tray, and a hard disk drive docking bay located within a computer system. The vibration dampening system has three primary components. The first component is a strip of polymeric material located between an end of the hard disk drive tray and the docking bay. The second component of the vibration dampening system is a set of polymeric strips located between an inner surface of the tray and the hard disk drive. The third component of the vibration dampening system is a set of spring assemblies. Each spring assembly is located between the sides of the tray and the docking bay.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Eric T Gamble