Disk drive emulator and method of use thereof

1. A disk drive emulator for testing a test slot of a disk drive testing system, the disk drive emulator comprising:

an emulator housing;

a testing circuit housed in the emulator housing;

an interface connector disposed on the emulator housing and in electrical communication with the testing circuit;

at least one sensor in electrical communication with the testing circuit, the at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, and a humidity sensor; and

at least one electrical load element in electrical communication with the testing circuit;

wherein the testing circuit is configured to test power delivery of the test slot to the disk drive emulator, monitor the at least one sensor, and monitor connector reliability between the test slot and the disk drive emulator.

2. The disk drive emulator of claim 1 , wherein the emulator housing has a width of about 70 mm and a height of between about 9.5 mm and about 19 mm.

3. The disk drive emulator of claim 1 , wherein the emulator housing is substantially rectangular shaped having top and bottom broad surfaces, a temperature sensor being disposed near each corner of the top and bottom broad surfaces.

4. The disk drive emulator of claim 1 , wherein the emulator housing defines an electronics region, a motor region, and a head region, a temperature sensor being disposed in each region.

5. The disk drive emulator of claim 1 , wherein the interface connector comprises a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter connector.

6. The disk drive emulator of claim 1 , wherein the electrical load element comprises a heat source.

7. The disk drive emulator of claim 6 , wherein the heat source is variable.

8. The disk drive emulator of claim 1 , wherein the electrical load element comprises a motor.

9. The disk drive emulator of claim 1 , wherein the testing circuit comprises a controller in electrical communication with the at least one sensor and the at least one electrical load element.

10. A method of validating a test slot of a disk drive testing system, the method comprising:

establishing electrical communication between a disk drive emulator and the test slot; and

performing diagnostic testing on the test slot, the diagnostic testing comprising:

testing connectivity between the disk drive emulator and the test slot;

testing power delivery from the test slot to the disk drive emulator;

monitoring a temperature level of at least one region of the disk drive emulator; and

monitoring a vibration level of at least one region of the disk drive emulator.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein performing diagnostic testing on the test slot further comprises monitoring a humidity level of the disk drive emulator.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein testing connectivity between the disk drive emulator and the test slot comprises testing a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter connector disposed in the test slot.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein testing connectivity between the disk drive emulator and the test slot comprises determining a connection resistance between the disk drive emulator and the test slot.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein testing power delivery from the test slot to the disk drive emulator comprises:

testing a voltage source level of the test slot;

testing a current source level of the test slot; and

testing a current limiting capacity of the test slot.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein monitoring a temperature level of at least one region of the disk drive emulator comprises monitoring a temperature level of an electronics region.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein monitoring a temperature level of at least one region of the disk drive emulator comprises monitoring a temperature level of a motor region.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein monitoring a temperature level of at least one region of the disk drive emulator comprises monitoring a temperature level of a head region.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein monitoring a vibration level of at least one region of the disk drive emulator comprises monitoring a vibration level of a head region.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the disk drive emulator comprises:

an emulator housing;

a testing circuit housed in the emulator housing;

an interface connector disposed on the emulator housing and in electrical communication with the testing circuit, the interface connector being configured to establish electrical communication with the test slot; and

at least one sensor in electrical communication with the testing circuit, the at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, and a humidity sensor;

wherein the testing circuit is configured to test power delivery of the test slot to the disk drive emulator, monitor the at least one sensor, and monitor connector reliability between the test slot and the disk drive emulator.