Method and apparatus for using acoustic signals to identify disk drives that are likely to fail

1. A method for determining whether a disk drive is likely to fail, comprising:

monitoring a first acoustic signal emitted from the disk drive during operation of the disk drive;

comparing characteristics of the first acoustic signal against characteristics of a first baseline acoustic signal, wherein the first baseline acoustic signal reflects normal operation of the disk drive; and

if the first acoustic signal differs by a predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal, indicating that the disk drive is likely to fail;

wherein the disk drive includes a linear array of disk drives;

wherein receiving the first acoustic signal involves, receiving the first acoustic signal and a second acoustic signal from the linear array of disk drives;

wherein the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal are gathered from acoustic sensors at different locations relative to the linear array of disk drives;

wherein if the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal differ by the predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal and a second baseline acoustic signal, the method further comprises,

correlating the first acoustic signal with the second acoustic signal to determine which disk drive in the linear array is likely to fail, and

indicating that the disk drive is likely to fail.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing characteristics of the first acoustic signal against characteristics of the first baseline acoustic signal involves:

calculating a first power spectral density from the first acoustic signal; and

subtracting a first baseline power spectral density from the first power spectral density.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein calculating the first power spectral density involves performing a fast Fourier transform on the first acoustic signal.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the disk drive includes a two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein receiving the first acoustic signal involves, receiving the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal and a third acoustic signal from the two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal are gathered from acoustic sensors at non-collinear locations relative to the two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein if the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal differ by the predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal, the second baseline acoustic signal, and a third baseline acoustic signal, the method further comprises,

correlating the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal to determine which disk drive in the two-dimensional array is likely to fail, and

indicating that the disk drive is likely to fail.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising limiting a frequency range of a first power spectral density, a second power spectral density, and a third power spectral density to a predetermined frequency range associated with failing disk drives.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal are obtained with a first microphone, a second microphone, and a third microphone respectively.

7. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for determining whether a disk drive is likely to fail, the method comprising:

monitoring a first acoustic signal emitted from the disk drive during operation of the disk drive;

comparing characteristics of the first acoustic signal against characteristics of a first baseline acoustic signal, wherein the first baseline acoustic signal reflects normal operation of the disk drive; and

if the first acoustic signal differs by a predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal, indicating that the disk drive is likely to fail;

wherein the disk drive includes a linear array of disk drives;

wherein receiving the first acoustic signal involves, receiving the first acoustic signal and a second acoustic signal from the linear array of disk drives;

wherein the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal are gathered from acoustic sensors at different locations relative to the linear array of disk drives;

wherein if the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal differ by the predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal and a second baseline acoustic signal, the method further comprises,

correlating the first acoustic signal with the second acoustic signal to determine which disk drive in the linear array is likely to fail, and

indicating that the disk drive is likely to fail.

8. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein comparing characteristics of the first acoustic signal against characteristics of the first baseline acoustic signal involves:

calculating a first power spectral density from the first acoustic signal; and

subtracting a first baseline power spectral density from the first power spectral density.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein calculating the first power spectral density involves performing a fast Fourier transform on the first acoustic signal.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7 ,

wherein the disk drive includes a two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein receiving the first acoustic signal involves, receiving the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal and a third acoustic signal from the two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal are gathered from acoustic sensors at non-collinear locations relative to the two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein if the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal differ by the predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal, the second baseline acoustic signal, and a third baseline acoustic signal, the method further comprises,

correlating the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal to determine which disk drive in the two-dimensional array is likely to fail, and

indicating that the disk drive is likely to fail.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , the method further comprising limiting a frequency range of a first power spectral density, a second power spectral density, and a third power spectral density to a predetermined frequency range associated with failing disk drives.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal are obtained with a first microphone, a second microphone, and a third microphone respectively.

13. An apparatus for determining whether a disk drive is likely to fail, comprising:

a monitoring mechanism that is configured to monitor a first acoustic signal emitted from the disk drive during operation of the disk drive;

a comparing mechanism that is configured to compare characteristics of the first acoustic signal against characteristics of a first baseline acoustic signal, wherein the first baseline acoustic signal reflects normal operation of the disk drive; and

an indicating mechanism that is configured to indicate that the disk drive is likely to fail;

wherein the disk drive includes a linear array of disk drives;

wherein receiving the first acoustic signal involves, receiving the first acoustic signal and a second acoustic signal from the linear array of disk drives;

wherein the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal are gathered from acoustic sensors at different locations relative to the linear array of disk drives;

a correlating mechanism that is configured to correlate the first acoustic signal with the second acoustic signal to determine which disk drive in the linear array is likely to fail if the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal differ by a predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal and a second baseline acoustic signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:

a calculating mechanism that is configured to calculate a first power spectral density from the first acoustic signal; and

a subtracting mechanism that is configured to subtract a first baseline power spectral density from the first power spectral density.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the calculating mechanism is further configured to calculate the first power spectral density by performing a fast Fourier transform on the first acoustic signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 ,

wherein the disk drive includes a two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein receiving the first acoustic signal involves receiving the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal and a third acoustic signal from the two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal are gathered from acoustic sensors at non-collinear locations relative to the two-dimensional array of disk drives;

wherein if the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal differ by the predetermined amount from the first baseline acoustic signal, the second baseline acoustic signal, and a third baseline acoustic signal, respectively, the correlating mechanism is further configured to correlate the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal to determine which disk drive in the two-dimensional array is likely to fail.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a limiting mechanism that is configured to limit a frequency range of a first power spectral density, a second power spectral density, and a third power spectral density to a predetermined frequency range associated with failing disk drives.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first acoustic signal, the second acoustic signal, and the third acoustic signal are obtained with a first microphone, a second microphone, and a third microphone respectively.