Wireless data storage chassis
View Patent ↗Various embodiments are directed to a data storage chassis for storing a plurality of non-specific storage drives, corresponding wireless controllers, and one or more radio adapters. The storage drives are operative to communicate with another network device over a network. A storage drive wirelessly communicates with other storage drives of the chassis, as well as one or more radio adapters of the chassis. The wireless controller corresponding to a storage drive is operative to wirelessly communicate with other wireless controllers corresponding to other storage drives and also with one or more radio adapters via wireless waveguides of the chassis. The one or more radio adapters are operative to communicate with other network devices external to the chassis and serve as access points to the chassis. Because the storage drives, the corresponding controllers, and the radio adapters communicate via wireless signals transmitted along waveguides, the chassis is a wireless chassis.
1. An apparatus for storing a plurality of storage drives, wherein the plurality of storage drives are operative to communicate over a network, comprising:
a housing, wherein hardware located inside the housing, includes:
the plurality of storage drives, wherein each storage drive includes one or more wireless controllers having one or more wireless interfaces;
one or more radio adapters that include one or more wireless interfaces and one or more external communication interfaces, wherein the one or more radio adapters perform one or more actions, comprising one or more of:
multiplexing frequencies of wireless signals communicated in an airspace inside the housing between the one or more radio adapters and the one or more wireless controllers; or
multiplexing wireless signals communicated between the one or more radio adapters and the one or more wireless controllers based on one or more characteristics of the airspace inside the housing; and
one or more separate mechanical waveguides that are located along a length of the housing and are coupled to each of the wireless interfaces, wherein each waveguide includes one or more internal cavities for the airspace, wherein an internal cavity enables transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within the airspace of the internal cavity, between the one or more wireless controllers and the one or more wireless interfaces of the one or more radio adapters; and
one or more remote communication interfaces that provide communication over the network with one or more remotely located network computers, wherein the one or more remote communication interfaces are in communication with the one or more external communication interfaces.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first waveguide that is operative to guide transmission of the one or more wireless signals for a portion of the one or more wireless controllers and the one or more radio adapters; and
a second waveguide that is operative to guide transmission of the one or more wireless signals between a separate portion of the one or more wireless controllers and the one or more radio adapters.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the airspace is based on one or more non-uniform surfaces positioned within one or more of the internal cavities that correspond to the one or more waveguides.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first waveguide that is operative to enable transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within a first airspace of the first waveguide, between a portion of the one or more wireless controllers and a first portion of the one or more radio adapters; and
a second waveguide that is operative to enable transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within a second airspace of the second waveguide, between a separate portion of the one or more wireless controllers and a second separate portion for the one or more radio adapters.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of:
two or more antennas for one or more of the wireless controllers, wherein the wireless controller antennas are operative to provide multipath communication of the one or more wireless signals; or
two or more antennas for one or more of the radio adapters, wherein the radio adapter antennas are operative to provide multipath communication of the one or more wireless signals.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a port in the one or more waveguides that is operative to provide access for two or more wireless controllers to the internal cavity of the one or more waveguides.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more termination plates positioned within the airspace of the internal cavity.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multiplexing of frequencies within a range corresponds to one or more of: an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ac protocol, an IEEE 802.11ad protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an IEEE 802.15.1 protocol, or an IEEE 802.15.4 protocol.
9. An apparatus for wirelessly communicating with a plurality of storage drives, wherein the plurality of storage drives are operative to communicate over a network, comprising:
a radio adapter that includes one or more wireless interfaces and one or more external communication interfaces that are adapted for communication with one or more remote communication interfaces that provide communication over the network with one or more remotely located network computers, wherein the radio adapter and the plurality of storage drives are located inside a housing, and wherein the radio adapter performs one or more actions, comprising one or more of:
multiplexing frequencies of wireless signals communicated in an airspace between the radio adapter and one or more wireless controllers, wherein each storage drive includes one or more wireless controllers having one or more wireless interfaces; or
multiplexing wireless signals communicated between the radio adapter and the one or more wireless controllers based on one or more characteristics of the airspace; and
wherein the radio adapter is adapted for positioning inside the housing that also includes one or more separate mechanical waveguides inside the housing that are located along a length of the housing and are coupled to each of the wireless interfaces, wherein each waveguide includes one or more internal cavities for the airspace, wherein an internal cavity enables transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within the airspace of the internal cavity, between the one or more wireless controllers and the one or more wireless interfaces of the radio adapter.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the housing further includes:
a first waveguide that is operative to guide transmission of the one or more wireless signals for a portion of the one or more wireless controllers and the radio adapter; and
a second waveguide that is operative to guide transmission of the one or more wireless signals between a separate portion of the one or more wireless controllers and the radio adapter.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the airspace is based on one or more non-uniform surfaces positioned within one or more of the internal cavities that correspond to the one or more waveguides.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the housing further includes:
a first waveguide that is operative to enable transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within a first airspace of the first waveguide, between a portion of the one or more wireless controllers and the radio adapter; and
a second waveguide that is operative to enable transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within a second airspace of the second waveguide, between a separate portion of the one or more wireless controllers and the radio adapter.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the housing further includes one or more of:
two or more antennas for one or more of the wireless controllers, wherein the wireless controller antennas are operative to provide multipath communication of the one or more wireless signals; or
two or more antennas for the radio adapter, wherein the radio adapter antennas are operative to provide multipath communication of the one or more wireless signals.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the housing further includes a port in the one or more waveguides that is operative to provide access for two or more wireless controllers to the internal cavity of the one or more waveguides.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the housing further includes one or more termination plates positioned within the airspace of the internal cavity.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the multiplexing of frequencies within a range corresponds to one or more of: an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ac protocol, an IEEE 802.11ad protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an IEEE 802.15.1 protocol, or an IEEE 802.15.4 protocol.
17. A method for wirelessly communicating with a plurality of storage drives, wherein the plurality of storage drives are operative to communicate over a network, comprising:
employing one or more radio adapters that include one or more wireless interfaces and one or more external communication interfaces to communicate with one or more remote communication interfaces that provide communication over the network with one or more remotely located network computers, wherein the radio adapters and the plurality of storage drives are located inside a housing, and wherein the one or more radio adapters perform one or more actions, comprising one or more of:
multiplexing frequencies of wireless signals communicated in an airspace between the one or more radio adapters and one or more wireless controllers, wherein each storage drive includes one or more wireless controllers having one or more wireless interfaces; or
multiplexing wireless signals communicated between the one or more radio adapters and the one or more wireless controllers based on one or more characteristics of the airspace; and
wherein the radio adapter is adapted for positioning inside the housing that also includes one or more separate mechanical waveguides inside the housing that are located along a length of the housing and are coupled to each of the wireless interfaces, wherein each waveguide includes one or more internal cavities for the airspace, wherein an internal cavity enables transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within the airspace of the internal cavity, between the one or more wireless controllers and the one or more wireless interfaces of the radio adapter.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing further includes:
a first waveguide that is operative to guide transmission of the one or more wireless signals for a portion of the one or more wireless controllers and the one or more radio adapters; and
a second waveguide that is operative to guide transmission of the one or more wireless signals between a separate portion of the one or more wireless controllers and the one or more radio adapters.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the airspace is based on one or more non-uniform surfaces positioned within one or more of the internal cavities that correspond to the one or more waveguides.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing further includes:
a first waveguide that is operative to enable transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within a first airspace of the first waveguide, between a portion of the one or more wireless controllers and a first portion of the one or more radio adapters; and
a second waveguide that is operative to enable transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within a second airspace of the second waveguide, between a separate portion of the one or more wireless controllers and a second separate portion for the one or more radio adapters.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing further includes one or more of:
two or more antennas for one or more of the wireless controllers, wherein the wireless controller antennas are operative to provide multipath communication of the one or more wireless signals; or
two or more antennas for one or more of the radio adapters, wherein the radio adapter antennas are operative to provide multipath communication of the one or more wireless signals.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing further includes a port in the one or more waveguides that is operative to provide access for two or more wireless controllers to the internal cavity of the one or more waveguides.
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing further includes one or more termination plates positioned within the airspace of the internal cavity.
24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the multiplexing of frequencies within a range corresponds to one or more of: an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ac protocol, an IEEE 802.11ad protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an IEEE 802.15.1 protocol, or an IEEE 802.15.4 protocol.
25. A computer readable non-transitive storage media that includes instructions for wirelessly communicating with a plurality of storage drives, wherein the execution by a hardware processor of the instructions performs actions, comprising:
employing one or more radio adapters that include one or more wireless interfaces and one or more external communication interfaces to communicate with one or more remote communication interfaces that provide communication over a network with one or more remotely located network computers, wherein the one or more radio adapters and the plurality of storage drives are inside a housing, and wherein the one or more radio adapters perform one or more further actions, comprising one or more of:
multiplexing frequencies of wireless signals communicated in an airspace between the one or more radio adapters and one or more wireless controllers, wherein each storage drive includes one or more wireless controllers having one or more wireless interfaces; or
multiplexing wireless signals communicated between the one or more radio adapters and the one or more wireless controllers based on one or more characteristics of the airspace; and
wherein the radio adapter is adapted for positioning inside the housing that also includes one or more separate mechanical waveguides inside the housing that are located along a length of the housing and are coupled to each of the wireless interfaces, wherein each waveguide includes one or more internal cavities for the airspace, wherein an internal cavity enables transmission of the one or more wireless signals, within the airspace of the internal cavity, between the one or more wireless controllers and the one or more wireless interfaces of the radio adapter.
26. The media of claim 25 , wherein the multiplexing of frequencies within a range corresponds to one or more of: an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ac protocol, an IEEE 802.11ad protocol, an IEEE 802.16 protocol, an IEEE 802.15.1 protocol, or an IEEE 802.15.4 protocol.