Systems and methods for securing high density SSDs
View Patent ↗In various embodiments, a high-density solid-state storage unit includes a base section and a cassette section having plurality of flash cards. The cassette section can be removably attached to the base section to provide security of data stored on the plurality of flash cards. The cassette section provides for physical security of the flash cards in part through packaging of the enclosure and energy transfer to the base station. The cassette section further provides for security of the data stored on the flash cards in part through a trusted platform module (TPM) embodied as a removable module connected to a universal serial bus (USB) style connector.
1. A data storage unit comprising:
a base section;
a cassette section configured to be removably attached to the base section and having an interface through which a plurality of solid-state storage modules located within the cassette section are accessible to the base section;
wherein the base section comprises one or more structures configured to separate airflow exiting the base section from airflow exiting the cassette section, wherein the one or more structures enables the cassette section to operate under different temperature conditions from the base section; and
a trusted platform module removably attached to the cassette section utilizing a universal serial bus (USB) style connector, the trusted platform module configured:
to manage access to data stored in the plurality of solid-state storage modules from the base section; and
to provide security to the solid-state storage modules on the cassette section by authorizing operation of the cassette section and the base section when the cassette section is connected to the base section.
2. The data storage unit of claim 1 wherein the interface is configured to provide both an electrical connection between the cassette section and the base section as well as energy transfer from the cassette section to the base section.
3. The data storage unit of claim 1 wherein the cassette section further includes one or more guides configured to guide insertion of the cassette section into the base section, each guide having a taper from one end of the cassette section toward another end of the cassette section, the taper configured to provide self-guiding of the cassette section upon insertion into the base section.
4. The data storage unit of claim 3 wherein the one or more guides are configured to provide energy transfer to the base section and the base section is configured to receive the energy transfer through the one or more guides.
5. The data storage unit of claim 3 wherein the one or more guides include a first wedge receptor opposite a second wedge receptor.
6. The data storage unit of claim 1 wherein the cassette section further includes a gap filling material positioned between one or more internal components of the cassette section and an enclosing plate of the cassette section.
7. The data storage unit of claim 6 wherein the gap filling material is further configured to reduce vibration of the cassette section.
8. The data storage unit of claim 1 wherein the base section includes one or more structures forming a plurality of environmental zones, at least one of the plurality of environmental zones designated for the cassette section.
9. A data cassette comprising:
a plurality of solid-state storage modules;
a first interface through which the plurality of solid-state storage modules located within the data cassette are accessible to a base section;
wherein the data cassette is configured to implement a cooling system that draws air into the front of the data cassette and blows the air across components of the data cassette before exhausting the air out of the back of the data cassette, which vents into a portion of the base section designated for airflow from the cassette section; and
a second interface configured to accept a removable trusted platform module utilizing a universal serial bus (USB) style connector, the trusted platform module configured to:
manage access to data stored in the plurality of solid-state storage modules from the base section; and
to provide security to the solid-state storage modules on the cassette section by authorizing operation of the cassette section and the base section when the cassette section is connected to the base section.
10. The data cassette of claim 9 wherein the first interface is configured to provide both an electrical connection between the data cassette and the base section as well as energy transfer from the data cassette to the base section.
11. The data cassette of claim 9 further including one or more guides configured to guide insertion of the data cassette into the base section, each guide having a taper from one end of the data cassette toward another end of the data cassette, the taper configured to provide self-guiding of the data cassette upon insertion into the base section.
12. The data cassette of claim 11 wherein the one or more guides are configured to provide energy transfer to the base section and the base section is configured to receive the energy transfer through the one or more guides.
13. The data cassette of claim 11 wherein the one or more guides include a first wedge receptor opposite a second wedge receptor.
14. The data cassette of claim 9 further including a gap filling material positioned between one or more internal components of the cassette section and an enclosing plate of the data cassette.
15. The data cassette of claim 14 wherein the gap filling material is further configured to reduce vibration of the data cassette.