Abstract: A docking system for interfacing with a host computing device and for receiving a plurality of data storage components including a non-tape data storage media and an electrical contact. The docking system includes a primary station and an auxiliary station. The primary station includes an electrical connection device configured to interface with the host computing device and a primary station electrical coupling element. The auxiliary station includes a corresponding electrical coupling element selectively coupled with the primary station electrical coupling element and further includes at least one socket configured to selectively receive one of the plurality of data storage components.

Abstract: A system is described including a disk-based data cartridge that contains a plurality of disk drives, and that physically conforms to industry standard dimensions for magnetic data tape cartridges. A tape drive emulator receives the disk-based data cartridge and stores data within the plurality of disk drives in accordance with a format that emulates a tape storage format. A controller within the tape drive emulator utilizes RAID techniques to store data on the plurality of disk drives, thereby achieving increased performance, fault tolerance, or combinations thereof. A host computing device communicates the data to the tape drive emulator via a tape drive communication protocol. An automation unit selectively retrieves the disk-based data cartridge from a data tape cartridge library and engages the disk-based data cartridge with the tape drive emulator.