Abstract: A shack-sensor apparatus may include a sensor configured to detect a positional state of a hard-drive drawer. The shock-sensor apparatus may also include a mounting component coupled to the sensor and configured to mount the sensor in a location to monitor the positional state of the hard-drive drawer. In addition, the shock-sensor apparatus may include a computing module, electronically coupled to the sensor, that analyzes sensor data provided by the sensor to predict a shock event of the hard-drive drawer and send, in response to predicting the shock event, a signal to at least one hard drive in the hard-drive drawer to prevent damage to the hard drive. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A server node is provided that includes a processor and a network interface controller mounted in a chassis configured to be inserted into a server node slot of a server node grid. The chassis includes a blind-mate connector system on a back side that includes a blind-mate power connector and a blind-mate network connector configured to blind-mate with a corresponding blind-mate power connector and a corresponding blind-mate network connector of the server node slot of the server node grid. As the server node is inserted into the server node slot, the blind-mate power connector is configured to blind-mate with the corresponding blind-mate power connector of the server node slot before the blind-mate network connector blind-mates with the corresponding blind-mate network connector of the server node slot, such that the blind-mate power connector provides alignment guidance for the blind-mate network connector.

Abstract: A disclosed apparatus may include a storage drawer chassis having thermally-conductive barriers, with the thermally-conductive barriers defining storage bays adapted to receive storage drives. The apparatus may further include a coolant manifold, an inlet mechanism adapted to receive coolant into the coolant manifold of the storage drawer chassis, and an outlet mechanism adapted to permit coolant to exit the storage drawer chassis for thermal processing. The coolant manifold may be disposed in the storage drawer chassis to distribute coolant among a plurality of coolant channels extending within the thermally-conductive barriers to cool the storage drives. Other related systems, devices and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A server node is provided that includes a processor and a network interface controller mounted in a chassis configured to be inserted into a server node slot of a server node grid. The chassis includes a blind-mate connector system on a back side that includes a blind-mate power connector and a blind-mate network connector configured to blind-mate with a corresponding blind-mate power connector and a corresponding blind-mate network connector of the server node slot of the server node grid. As the server node is inserted into the server node slot, the blind-mate power connector is configured to blind-mate with the corresponding blind-mate power connector of the server node slot before the blind-mate network connector blind-mates with the corresponding blind-mate network connector of the server node slot, such that the blind-mate power connector provides alignment guidance for the blind-mate network connector.

Abstract: A removable airflow control baffle may be dimensioned to be removably coupled to a receiving component that facilitates the flow of air through an enclosed container. Such an airflow control baffle may include (i) a support frame that is dimensioned to removably couple the airflow control baffle to the receiving component and (ii) an airflow control zone that is coupled to the support frame such that the airflow control zone affects airflow through an opening defined by the receiving component when the airflow control baffle is coupled to the receiving component.

Abstract: A removeable drive-plane board may include (1) keyhole openings that are configured to interlock with keyhole fasteners of a retaining member of a storage-system chassis, (2) storage-drive connectors, (3) a storage-system module connector, and (4) electrical interconnects that electrically couple the storage-drive connectors to the storage-system module connector. In some examples, the keyhole fasteners of the retaining member may be oriented downward relative to the storage-system chassis. Various other removeable drive-plane apparatus, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A configurable storage-system drawer may include (1) a chassis, (2) a slide assembly coupled to a side of the chassis that is configured to enable the chassis to be temporarily pulled out of a data-center rack, and (3) a passive drive-plane board housed within the chassis and configured to enable storage-system modules that differ between two or more storage-system configurations of the storage-system drawer to be interchanged. In some examples, the passive drive-plane board may include (1) storage-drive connectors that are each configured to detachably mate with a storage drive, (2) a storage-system-module connector configured to detachably mate with a storage-system module that includes one or more components necessary for one of the two or more storage-system configurations, and (3) electrical interconnects that electrically couple the storage-drive connectors to the storage-system-module connector.

Abstract: A tape drive includes a housing defining an internal volume, a heat-generating element disposed within the internal volume, a thermally-conductive element, a first end of the thermally-conductive element in thermal communication with the heat-generating element, and a heat dissipation unit disposed in an external volume outside of the internal volume, wherein a second end of the thermally-conductive element is disposed in the external volume and is in thermal communication with the heat dissipation unit.

Abstract: A multi-purpose storage-system partition may include (1) a bottom having a keyhole fastener configured to (a) interlock with a keyhole opening of a removable drive-plane board having front storage-drive connectors and rear storage-drive connectors and (b) retain the removable drive-plane board within a storage-system chassis, (2) a front having front storage-drive contact points configured to (a) retain front carrierless storage drives within the storage-system chassis and (b) align the front carrierless storage drives with the front storage-drive connectors, (3) a rear having rear storage-drive contact points configured to (a) retain rear carrierless storage drives within the storage-system chassis and (b) align the rear carrierless storage drives with the rear storage-drive connectors, (4) and a side having a fastener-retaining member configured to engage a fastener that couples the multi-purpose storage-system partition to a side of the storage-system chassis.

Abstract: A server node is provided that includes a processor and a network interface controller mounted in a chassis configured to be inserted into a server node slot of a server node grid. The chassis includes a blind-mate connector system on a back side that includes a blind-mate power connector and a blind-mate network connector configured to blind-mate with a corresponding blind-mate power connector and a corresponding blind-mate network connector of the server node slot of the server node grid. As the server node is inserted into the server node slot, the blind-mate power connector is configured to blind-mate with the corresponding blind-mate power connector of the server node slot before the blind-mate network connector blind-mates with the corresponding blind-mate network connector of the server node slot, such that the blind-mate power connector provides alignment guidance for the blind-mate network connector.

Abstract: A computing device is provided, including a magnetic data storage tape, a processor, and non-volatile memory operatively coupled to the processor. The non-volatile memory may store instructions executable by the processor to receive a plurality of data files including respective media placement metadata. The instructions may be further executable, for each data file of the plurality of data files, to determine a media placement score based on the media placement metadata of that data file. The instructions may be further executable to determine an order for the plurality of data files based on the respective media placement scores of the data files. The instructions may be further executable to write the plurality of data files to the magnetic data storage tape such that the plurality of data files have the determined order on the magnetic data storage tape.

Abstract: A drive latch apparatus may include a light pipe that transmits light across a distance. The apparatus may also include a light source coupled to a distal end of the light pipe. In addition, the apparatus may include a latch dimensioned to secure a hard drive to a chassis and coupled to a proximal end of the light pipe such that the light from the light source is transmitted to the latch and the latch refracts the light from the light source to emit a visible glow. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A drive latch apparatus may include a latch coupled to a chassis such that the latch secures a hard drive to the chassis. The apparatus may also include a handle coupled to a proximal end of the latch such that compressing the handle unlocks the latch from the chassis. In addition, the apparatus may include a drive holder coupled to a distal end of the latch such that a distal end of the drive holder bends under the hard drive to unseat the hard drive and the drive holder slides vertically from the chassis in tandem with the latch. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting device types of storage devices may include (1) at least one circuit that (A) is electrically coupled to a power supply and (B) when a storage device is connected to the power supply, outputs a signal that is indicative of a device type of the storage device, (2) at least one physical processing device that (A) is electrically coupled to the circuit, (B) detects the signal that is output by the circuit when the storage device is connected to the power supply, (C) determines the device type of the storage device based at least in part on the signal output by the circuit, and then (D) directs the power supply to supply power to the storage device in accordance with the device type of the storage device. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A storage-media-agnostic chassis apparatus may include a media-agnostic storage bay that (1) is adapted to house media storage devices of a plurality of different media storage device types with different physical dimensions, (2) is reconfigurable via removing at least one media storage device of a media storage device type from the media-agnostic storage bay and inserting at least one media storage device of an additional media storage device type, (3) is dimensioned to simultaneously store a plurality of media storage devices, and (4) comprises a plurality of connectors adapted to simultaneously connect to the media storage devices. The apparatus may also include a storage controller card, a compute module that is separate from but removably attached to the media-agnostic storage bay, and a backplane that facilitates communication between the media storage device and the compute module. Various other methods, systems, and apparatuses are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cold-air bypass apparatus may include (1) a mount configured to couple the cold-air bypass apparatus to a drive-plane board housed within a storage-system chassis and (2) a baffle configured to direct a portion of an airflow through an opening in the drive-plane board from below the drive-plane board to above the drive-plane board. The drive-plane board may include (1) a front drive section that includes storage-drive connectors coupled to the drive-plane board, (2) a rear drive section that includes additional storage-drive connectors coupled to the drive-plane board, and (3) the opening located between the front drive section and the rear drive section that allows air to flow from below the drive-plane board to above the drive-plane board. Various other apparatus, systems, and methods for directing air in a storage-system chassis are also disclosed.

Abstract: A shack-sensor apparatus may include a sensor configured to detect a positional state of a hard-drive drawer. The shock-sensor apparatus may also include a mounting component coupled to the sensor and configured to mount the sensor in a location to monitor the positional state of the hard-drive drawer. In addition, the shock-sensor apparatus may include a computing module, electronically coupled to the sensor, that analyzes sensor data provided by the sensor to predict a shock event of the hard-drive drawer and send, in response to predicting the shock event, a signal to at least one hard drive in the hard-drive drawer to prevent damage to the hard drive. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A disclosed apparatus may include a storage drawer chassis having thermally-conductive barriers, with the thermally-conductive barriers defining storage bays adapted to receive storage drives. The apparatus may further include a coolant manifold, an inlet mechanism adapted to receive coolant into the coolant manifold of the storage drawer chassis, and an outlet mechanism adapted to permit coolant to exit the storage drawer chassis for thermal processing. The coolant manifold may be disposed in the storage drawer chassis to distribute coolant among a plurality of coolant channels extending within the thermally-conductive barriers to cool the storage drives. Other related systems, devices and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for increasing the longevity of archival tape may include suspending, by a scheduling computing system, an initiation of a read/write process for an archival tape. The method may also include reading a tape status stored on a status tag embedded on a cartridge of the archival tape. In addition, the method may include deducing, by the scheduling computing system, a health status of the archival tape from the tape status. Furthermore, the method may include adjusting, by the scheduling computing system, a read/write policy of the archival tape based on the health status. Finally, the method may include completing the read/write process of the archival tape based on the adjusted read/write policy. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cable management system including a component rack including a top wall, a bottom wall, and first and second spaced apart sidewalls extending therebetween to define a rack interior. A pair of drawer slides are attached to the first and second sidewalls in the rack interior and a chassis is attached to the pair of drawer slides whereby the chassis is movable between a stowed position inside the rack interior and a service position outside the rack interior. At least one cable retainer is attached to the chassis between the chassis and the first sidewall. A cable is positioned between the chassis and the rack and the cable includes a first portion extending from the chassis, a second portion fastened to the at least one cable retainer between the drawer chassis and the first sidewall in a looped configuration, and a third portion attached to the first sidewall.