System and method for generating warranty and pricing information for data storage apparatus

1. A method of processing status parameters of one or more data storage apparatuses, the method comprising:

sending a request by a vendor system to a host system for retrieval of one or more status parameters prior to retrieving and sending the one or more status parameters to the vendor system by the host system;

receiving, via a network by the vendor system, one or more status parameters of the data storage apparatus retrieved by the host system from the data storage apparatus; and

using the one or more status parameters to generate any one or more of warranty information, pricing information, and design improvement information for the data storage apparatus,

wherein the status parameters correspond to current usage statistics with respect to an operating time period, a current temperature, and a shock exposure of the data storage apparatus;

wherein the status parameters corresponding to the current usage statistics, the temperature, and the shock exposure of the data storage device are sent automatically by the host system to the vendor system on a periodic basis.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more status parameters are stored in a nonvolatile storage in the data storage apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more status parameters are retrieved automatically by the host system on a periodic basis.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the request from the vendor system includes computer-readable instructions on retrieving and sending the one or more status parameters.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the warranty information generated includes any one or more of warranty length, warranty termination, and warranty factor statistics for the data storage apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the pricing information generated includes any one or more of pricing of the data storage apparatus, warranty pricing of the data storage apparatus, and lease pricing of the data storage apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the design improvement information generated includes any one or more of a main factor affecting longevity of the data storage apparatus, and product specification that can be relaxed as having little or no influence on the longevity of the data storage apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving comprises receiving one or more status parameters of a random sample of multiple data storage apparatuses by the vendor system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending by the vendor system to the host system via the network an alert regarding warranty violation if the one or more status parameters fall outside an acceptable range.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending by the vendor system to the host system via the network a notification regarding remaining warranty length of the data storage apparatus based on the one or more status parameters.

11. A system for processing status parameters of one or more data storage apparatuses, the system comprising:

at least one host system configured to retrieve one or more status parameters of one or more data storage apparatus;

a vendor system; and

a network coupled with the at least one host system and the vendor system;

wherein the at least one host system is configured to send the one or more status parameters via the network to the vendor system; and

wherein the vendor system is configured to send a request to the at least one host system, the request including computer-readable instructions on retrieving and sending the one or more status parameters to the vendor system; and configured to use the one or more status parameters to generate any one or more of warranty information, pricing information, and design improvement information for the data storage apparatus,

wherein the status parameters correspond to current usage statistics with respect to an operating time period, a current temperature, and a shock exposure of the data storage apparatus;

wherein the status parameters corresponding to the current usage statistics, the current temperature, and the shock exposure of the data storage device are sent automatically by the host system to the vendor system on a periodic basis.

12. The system of claim 11 ,

wherein the warranty information generated includes any one or more of warranty length, warranty termination, and warranty factor statistics for the data storage apparatus;

wherein the pricing information generated includes any one or more of pricing of the data storage apparatus, warranty pricing of the data storage apparatus, and lease pricing of the data storage apparatus; and

wherein the design improvement information generated includes any one or more of a main factor affecting longevity of the data storage apparatus, and product specification that can be relaxed as having little or no influence on the longevity of the data storage apparatus.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the vendor system is configured to send an alert via the network to the at least one host system regarding warranty violation if the one or more status parameters fall outside an acceptable range.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the vendor system is configured to send a notification via the network to the at least one host system regarding remaining warranty length of the one or more data storage apparatus based on the one or more status parameters.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for processing status parameters of one or more data storage apparatuses, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving, via a network by a vendor system, one or more status parameters of a data storage apparatus retrieved by a host system from the data storage apparatus; and

instructions for using the one or more status parameters to generate any one or more of warranty information, pricing information, and design improvement information for the data storage apparatus,

wherein the status parameters correspond to current usage statistics with respect to an operating time period, a current temperature, and a shock exposure of the data storage apparatus;

wherein the status parameters corresponding to the current usage statistics, the current temperature, and the shock exposure of the data storage device are sent automatically by the host system to the vendor system on a periodic basis.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising instructions for sending a request by the vendor system to the host system for retrieval of the one or more status parameters prior to retrieving and sending the one or more status parameters to the vendor system by the host system.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the request from the vendor system includes computer-readable instructions on retrieving and sending the one or more status parameters.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 ,

wherein the warranty information generated includes any one or more of warranty length, warranty termination, and warranty factor statistics for the data storage apparatus;

wherein the pricing information generated includes any one or more of pricing of the data storage apparatus, warranty pricing of the data storage apparatus, and lease pricing of the data storage apparatus; and

wherein the design improvement information generated includes any one or more of a main factor affecting longevity of the data storage apparatus, and product specification that can be relaxed as having little or no influence on the longevity of the data storage apparatus.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the instructions for receiving comprises code for receiving one or more status parameters of a random sample of multiple data storage apparatuses by the vendor system.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising instructions for sending by the vendor system to the host system via the network an alert regarding warranty violation if the one or more status parameters fall outside an acceptable range.

21. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising instructions for sending by the vendor system to the host system via the network a notification regarding remaining warranty length of the data storage apparatus based on the one or more status parameters.