Abstract: A storage system provides a modular interface-independent architecture. The storage system includes multiple of storage devices removably coupled to a backplane. The backplane is configured to receive the signals from the storage devices, and separate the received signals into groups of power and data signals. The backplane is further configured to modify the second data signals to include information describing storage devices associated with the data signals, and convert the data signals into a predetermined interface technology signal format. The storage system also includes a bridge configured to modify the converted data signals to remove information describing storage devices associated with the data signals. The bridge is further configured to group the modified converted data signals into multiple data blocks and assign each of the plurality of data blocks to an output port of the bridge.