Abstract: Apparatus and systems provide processing capabilities and power-line networking capabilities. An in-wall computing device has a power connector for receiving an Alternating Current (AC) signal from a power source and a housing that is sized for installation into an electrical wall box. The device may have internal data injection circuitry for injecting data into the AC signal or may have internal data receiving circuitry for extracting data from the AC signal. A system includes at least two in-wall computing devices, each having a power connector for receiving an AC signal from a power source. A first device has a user input interface and internal data injection circuitry for transmitting user input data to a second device over the AC signal. The second device has internal data receiving circuitry for extracting the user input data and controlling peripherals attached to peripheral ports of the device according to the data.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems provide processing capabilities while utilizing power received via an Ethernet. A computing device has an Ethernet connector for receiving power and data, internal power supply circuitry for extracting power from the Ethernet connector, and a Central Processing Unit (CPU) for receiving the power. A housing may encompass the components of the computing device and be configured for installation in an electrical wall box. The housing may include a display or connectors for peripherals. A system includes at least two computing devices. Each device has an Ethernet connector for receiving power and communicating with other devices and are installed within a housing within an electrical wall box. One device has a display for receiving user input instructions for transmittal to another device, while another device has a peripheral connector for controlling a peripheral according to the instructions.

Abstract: A sensor fixture can be affixed within a wall and powered using the same cable along which data signals are transmitted. A data cable is attached to the fixture, and power for a sensor is isolated from the data signals. The sensor may be used in conjunction with a building automation system in order to provide environmental inputs, such as from a motion sensor, a light sensor, and an audio sensor. The sensor may also be combined with LED lights for a combined fixture that lights when sensing motion or other environmental changes, for example.

Abstract: Technologies are provided herein for automated operating system installation. Through the concepts and technologies presented herein, the process of installing multiple operating systems on a system under test (“SUT”) can be automated and monitored, thereby permitting the unattended installation of the operating systems. Multiple operating systems can be installed and errors detected during the installations can be logged in an automated fashion, thereby reducing the cost of such testing. Errors generated during the automated installation process can be analyzed and utilized to identify and correct errors in a computing system firmware. A device selector for facilitating the automated installation process is also provided.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a computing system having a plurality of enclosure management controllers (EMCs) is disclosed. In one embodiment, the EMCs are communicatively coupled to each other and each EMC is operatively connected to a corresponding plurality of drive slots and at least one of a plurality of drive slot status indicators. Each EMC is operative to receive enclosure management data, detect an operational status of the drive slots, and generate drive slot status data. One of the EMCs is configured to function at least partly as a master EMC to receive drive slot status data and, based on received enclosure management data and received drive slot status data, generate mapped data for each one of the EMCs for selectively activating at least one of the drive slot status indicators to indicate corresponding operational status.

Abstract: A light fixture can be affixed within a wall and powered using the same cable along which data signals are transmitted. The LED lights in the light fixture are sufficiently bright to be used for illumination and are powered by a voltage derived from power delivered via the data cable. The light fixture may be used in conjunction with a building automation system. The light provided by the LED lights may be modified based on control signals received via the data cable. Modifications may include changes to the perceived brightness and/or color of the light.

Abstract: Systems and apparatus for providing supplemental functionality to a computer system with an expansion card adaptable for both internal and external coupling to the computer system. An expansion card has a bracket for internally coupling to a host computer and a housing for external coupling to a host computer. The expansion card may receive power from the host computer via an edge connector when internally coupled and through a power adapter via a power port when externally coupled. The expansion card may further receive data from the host computer via the edge connector when internally coupled and through an external bus when externally coupled. When externally coupled, the expansion card is mounted within a housing that may be mounted to an outside surface of a computer rack to preserve space within the rack.

Abstract: In one aspect, a microcontroller is disclosed. In one embodiment, the microcontroller includes a system memory that has an erasable memory of a first type, with a first storage partition and a second, different storage partition. The system memory also has a random access memory (RAM). The microcontroller further includes a network interface that is configured to communicate management commands over a communications link, and a programmable processor that is operatively connected to the system memory and the network interface. The communications link includes an interface bus and is configured for one or more of I2C, SPI, and system management bus communications.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a backplane controller of a storage backplane is disclosed, the storage backplane having a plurality of drive slots configured to operatively connect to a corresponding plurality of mass storage devices. In one embodiment, the backplane controller is operative to perform functions that include detecting activity status on a first serial interface that is configured to operatively connect one or more sets of a plurality of drive slots on the storage backplane to a host bus adapter (HBA), according to a first drive slot assignment. The backplane controller is further operative to detect an activity status on a second serial interface that is configured to operatively connect one or more sets of a plurality of drive slots on the storage backplane to the HBA, according to a second drive slot assignment.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a data storage system is disclosed.

Abstract: A system and apparatus are provided for selectively terminating an analog video signal depending on whether or not a terminating device is present. A conditional terminator receives an analog video signal from a video input and terminates the video signal in the absence of a terminating device and does not terminate the video signal when a terminating device is connected to the analog video signal. A conditional terminator may comprise a resistor and transistor connecting the video signal to ground when a ground signal from a terminating device is not present and disconnecting the signal from ground as a result of the presence of a ground signal from a connected terminating device. The conditional termination may occur in a video input device or alternatively in a video cable connector.

Abstract: A system and apparatus are described for removably mounting one or more hard disk drives within a computer system. According to one embodiment, the system includes a disk drive carrier cage configured to receive a disk drive backplane and up to eight pair of disk drive carrier rails. The disk drive carrier cage is sized for insertion into a drive bay having the dimensions of two optical mass storage devices compatible with a 5.25 inch form factor. The system also includes a disk drive backplane for receiving up to eight hard disk drives, disk drive carriers for holding the hard disk drives, and disk drive carrier rails mountable within the disk drive carrier cage for slidably receiving the disk drive carriers. The disk drive carriers and disk drive carrier rails are translucent thereby permitting light emanating from the backplane to be viewed at the front of the cage.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for detecting the presence and activity of a mass storage device. A resistor divider circuit generates a voltage indicating whether a mass storage device has been mated to a mass storage backplane and whether the device is active. The circuit provides a voltage within a first range when the device is not mated to the storage backplane, and provides a voltage within a second range when the device is mated to the storage backplane but is inactive. The circuit also provides a voltage within a third range when the device is mated to the storage backplane and is active. The circuit can be connected to an integrated circuit that can determine, based on the output of the resistor divider circuit, whether the device has been mated to the storage backplane and whether the device is active.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for combining multiple SGPIO streams to provide a single mass storage device activity indicator. Device activity data indicating whether a mass storage device is active may be received on a first interface, such as an SGPIO interface. Device activity data indicating whether the mass storage device is active may also be received on a second interface, such as a second SGPIO interface. An activity signal may also be received from the mass storage device itself. An activity indicator is provided when either data received on the first interface, data received on the second interface, or the activity signal received from the mass storage device indicates that the mass storage device is active. Status data regarding the failure, rebuild status, and location of a mass storage device received on multiple interfaces may also be combined to drive a single indicator.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems provide processing capabilities and power-line networking capabilities. An in-wall computing device has a power connector for receiving an Alternating Current (AC) signal from a power source and a housing that is sized for installation into an electrical wall box. The device may have internal data injection circuitry for injecting data into the AC signal or may have internal data receiving circuitry for extracting data from the AC signal. A system includes at least two in-wall computing devices, each having a power connector for receiving an AC signal from a power source. A first device has a user input interface and internal data injection circuitry for transmitting user input data to a second device over the AC signal. The second device has internal data receiving circuitry for extracting the user input data and controlling peripherals attached to peripheral ports of the device according to the data.

Abstract: A light fixture can be affixed within a wall and powered using the same cable along which data signals are transmitted. The LED lights in the light fixture are sufficiently bright to be used for illumination and are powered by a voltage derived from power delivered via the data cable. The light fixture may be used in conjunction with a building automation system. The light provided by the LED lights may be modified based on control signals received via the data cable. Modifications may include changes to the perceived brightness and/or color of the light.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems provide processing capabilities while utilizing power received via an Ethernet. A computing device has an Ethernet connector for receiving power and data, internal power supply circuitry for extracting power from the Ethernet connector, and a Central Processing Unit (CPU) for receiving the power. A housing may encompass the components of the computing device and be configured for installation in an electrical wall box. The housing may include a display or connectors for peripherals. A system includes at least two computing devices. Each device has an Ethernet connector for receiving power and communicating with other devices and are installed within a housing within an electrical wall box. One device has a display for receiving user input instructions for transmittal to another device, while another device has a peripheral connector for controlling a peripheral according to the instructions.

Abstract: A method and integrated circuit for providing enclosure management services compatible with a multitude of physical interfaces and protocols for exchanging enclosure management data between an HBA and an enclosure management backplane is provided. According to one method, two or more interfaces utilized for exchanging enclosure management data may be monitored to determine whether one of the interfaces is actively being utilized by an HBA to transmit enclosure management data. If one of the interfaces is identified as being active, a determination is then made as to which of a plurality of protocols for transferring enclosure management data is being utilized on the active interface. In particular, a determination may be made as to whether a protocol defined by one HBA manufacturer is being utilized or whether another protocol defined by another HBA manufacturer is being utilized.

Abstract: A light fixture can be affixed within a wall and powered using the same cable along which data signals are transmitted. The LED lights in the light fixture are sufficiently bright to be used for illumination and are powered by a voltage derived from power delivered via the data cable. The light fixture may be used in conjunction with a building automation system. The light provided by the LED lights may be modified based on control signals received via the data cable. Modifications may include changes to the perceived brightness and/or color of the light.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems provide processing capabilities while utilizing power received via an Ethernet. A computing device has an Ethernet connector for receiving power and data, internal power supply circuitry for extracting power from the Ethernet connector, and a Central Processing Unit (CPU) for receiving the power. A housing may encompass the components of the computing device and be configured for installation in an electrical wall box. The housing may include a display or connectors for peripherals. A system includes at least two computing devices. Each device has an Ethernet connector for receiving power and communicating with other devices and are installed within a housing within an electrical wall box. One device has a display for receiving user input instructions for transmittal to another device, while another device has a peripheral connector for controlling a peripheral according to the instructions.