Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) comprising an additional application-specific component for receiving and executing application-specific instructions. Standard ATA or SCSI hard disk drives comprise, at a minimum, a housing, rotating disk platters containing data, magnetic heads to read and write data to the rotating disks, and a controller circuit for operating the rotation of the disk and read/write functions of the magnetic heads. An additional component is added to this standard list of components, the additional component being capable of receiving application-specific instructions via a standard network connection and executing these application-specific instructions on the data contained on the rotating disks. The application-specific component may be in the form of an add-on board which couples to the controller circuit or, alternatively, in the form of an application-specific chip which mates with a socket provided on the controller circuit.

Abstract: A front panel for a circuit sled module performs several functions. The panel serves as the front panel to the circuit sled module, the panel comprises one or more hooks for engaging a catch on the tray when in a closed position, and the panel serves as an extraction lever when in the open position for removing the circuit sled module from the tray.

Abstract: An adjustable circuit sled module for a mass storage device has a housing, a mass storage device, a circuit board, a cover and spacers. The spacers position the mass storage device to align the power and data interface ports of the mass storage device with corresponding power and data interface connectors of the circuit board. The resulting sled module can be adjusted to accommodate a variety of brands and sizes of mass storage devices.