Movable Tray Storage Sled for Hot-Swap Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rack-based information handling systems face disruptions during maintenance and upgrades due to the need for continuous uptime and the impracticality of duplicating processing and storage capabilities, while conventional storage systems occupy significant space, reducing room for processing nodes.
Innovation Solution
A modular, scalable rack-based information handling system with a storage sled featuring a stationary tray and a movable tray that extends to expose horizontally arrayed hot swap bays, allowing for easy insertion and locking of storage devices using a latching handle, and a cable extension arm to maintain power and signals during servicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If storage devices are installed in conventional rack-based systems, then storage capacity is provided, but maintenance and upgrades require system shutdown and create disruption to ongoing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into individual hot-swap bays that can be independently accessed and serviced. Each bay is a separate functional unit that can be removed or replaced without affecting other bays or the main system operation, enabling maintenance without shutdown.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed with pre-configured hot-swap bays and latching mechanisms that are ready for immediate device replacement. The movable tray can be pre-positioned to expose bays before maintenance is needed, and replacement devices can be pre-loaded in the tray for quick swapping.
2Quantity of substance
If rack space is allocated for storage devices, then storage capacity is achieved, but available space for processing nodes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Storage devices are arranged horizontally in a compact array within the movable tray, utilizing horizontal space rather than vertical rack units. This dimensional reorganization allows multiple devices to fit in a smaller footprint, freeing vertical space for processing nodes while maintaining storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage sled with movable tray is nested within the rack structure, and individual storage devices are nested within the movable tray. This nested arrangement maximizes space utilization by fitting storage components into available gaps and unused spaces within the rack architecture.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple storage devices are installed in a compact arrangement, then space efficiency is improved, but service access to all devices becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is designed as a movable component that can slide horizontally to expose or cover the hot-swap bays. When service is needed, the tray moves to expose all bays simultaneously, providing easy access to any device without requiring rack disassembly or device-by-device access through tight spaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A rack-based information handling system (IHS) includes a rack containing at least one chassis having a plurality of bays open to laterally receive sleds that contain a plurality of information technology (IT) components that, when operational, enable the rack to function as an IHS. A storage sled including a stationary tray received in the chassis and a moveable trace received in the stationary tray. One or more hot swap bays that are horizontally arrayed in the storage sled in less than one (1) Server System Infrastructure (SSI) rack unit of height, wherein the moveable tray is extendable from the rack to a service position to expose all of its hot swap bays. Storage devices are insertable into a respective one of the hot swap bays of the storage sled. Each storage device may include a latching handle to lift and downward position the storage device in the corresponding hot swap bay.