IP Library Granted Patent US 11,908,494
Granted Patent B2
US 11,908,494 · App. 17/169,784 · Granted Feb 20, 2024

Controlling status indicators for drive bays of a drive bay enclosure of a storage system

Inventors: Zhuo Zhang (Shanghai, CN); Xiangdong Huang (Shanghai, CN); Changlin Li (Shanghai, CN); Yan Sun (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G11B33/128G11B33/124H05K7/1434
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,908,494
App. No.
17/169,784
Granted
Feb 20, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory and a drive bay enclosure of a storage system comprising a housing with one or more drive bays, the housing of the drive bay enclosure comprising one or more status indicators proximate an opening for at least a given one of the one or more drive bays. The at least one processing device is configured to perform steps of determining status information for the given drive bay, and controlling the one or more status indicators proximate the opening for the given drive bay based at least in part on the determined status information.

Claims (41)

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory; and

a drive bay enclosure of a storage system comprising a housing with one or more drive bays;

a spindle comprising one or more lights;

the housing of the drive bay enclosure comprising one or more status indicators proximate an opening for at least a given one of the one or more drive bays;

a plate configurable to cover at least a portion of the opening for the given drive bay, the plate comprising at least one of the one or more status indicators; and

the at least one processing device being configured to perform steps of:

determining status information for the given drive bay; and

controlling the one or more status indicators proximate the opening for the given drive bay based at least in part on the determined status information, wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively activating respective ones of the one or more lights of the spindle to passively illuminate at least a portion of the plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more status indicators is at least one of: mounted on the housing of the drive bay enclosure; and formed integrally with the housing of the drive bay enclosure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plate comprises a turnover plate rotatably mounted to the spindle proximate the opening for the given drive bay.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the turnover plate is configured:

to be rotated into a folded state when at least one of a filler plate and a drive tray plate is installed in the opening for the given drive bay; and

to be rotated into an unfolded state covering at least a portion of the opening for the given drive bay when the filler plate and the drive tray plate are not installed in the opening for the given drive bay.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the turnover plate comprises a control circuit board configured for coupling to at least one of the one or more lights of the spindle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plate comprises a filler plate installed in the opening for the given drive bay.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plate comprises a drive tray plate installed in the opening for the given drive bay.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining status information for the given drive bay comprises determining whether the given drive bay is ready for adding a storage device, and wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively illuminating at least one indicator on the plate responsive to determining that the given drive bay is ready for adding the storage device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining status information for the given drive bay comprises determining whether a storage device installed in the given drive bay is a member of a software-defined storage pool, and wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively illuminating at least one indicator on the plate responsive to determining that the storage device installed in the given drive bay is a member of software-defined storage pool.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining status information for the given drive bay comprises determining whether a storage device installed in the given drive bay is performing one or more operations associated with a software-defined storage pool, and wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively illuminating at least one indicator on the plate responsive to determining that the storage device installed in the given drive bay is performing the one or more operations associated with the software-defined storage pool.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining status information for the given drive bay comprises determining whether a data error has occurred for a storage device installed in the given drive bay, and wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively illuminating at least one indicator on the plate responsive to determining that the data error has occurred for the storage device installed in the given drive bay.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining status information for the given drive bay comprises determining whether a storage device installed in the given drive bay meets one or more specifications for a software-defined storage pool, and wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively illuminating at least one indicator on the plate responsive to determining that the storage device installed in the given drive bay meets the one or more specifications for the software-defined storage pool.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein determining status information for the given drive bay comprises determining whether a storage device installed in the given drive bay is ready for at least one of removal and replacement, and wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively illuminating at least one indicator on the plate responsive to determining that the storage device installed in the given drive bay is ready for at least one of removal and replacement.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored therein program code of one or more software programs, wherein the program code when executed by at least one processing device causes the at least one processing device to perform steps of:

determining status information for a given one of one or more drive bays in a housing of a drive bay enclosure of a storage system, the housing of the drive bay enclosure comprising:

a spindle comprising one or more lights;

one or more status indicators proximate an opening for the given drive bay; and

a plate configurable to cover at least a portion of the opening for the given drive bay, the plate comprising at least one of the one or more status indicators; and

controlling the one or more status indicators proximate the opening for the given drive bay based at least in part on the determined status information, wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively activating respective ones of the one or more lights of the spindle to passively illuminate at least a portion of the plate.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the plate comprises at least one of a turnover plate rotatably mounted to the spindle proximate the opening for the given drive bay, a filler plate installed in the opening for the given drive bay, and a drive tray plate installed in the opening for the given drive bay.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein determining status information for the given drive bay comprises determining a status of a storage device installed in the given drive bay with respect to one or more software-defined storage pools, and wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively illuminating at least one indicator on the plate responsive to determining the status of the storage device installed in the given drive bay with respect to the one or more software-defined storage pools.

17. A method comprising:

determining status information for a given one of one or more drive bays in a housing of a drive bay enclosure of a storage system, the housing of the drive bay enclosure comprising:

a spindle comprising one or more lights;

one or more status indicators proximate an opening for the given drive bay; and

a plate configurable to cover at least a portion of the opening for the given drive bay, the plate comprising at least one of the one or more status indicators; and

controlling the one or more status indicators proximate the opening for the given drive bay based at least in part on the determined status information, wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively activating respective ones of the one or more lights of the spindle to passively illuminate at least a portion of the plate;

wherein the method is performed by at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the plate comprises at least one of a turnover plate rotatably mounted to the spindle proximate the opening for the given drive bay, a filler plate installed in the opening for the given drive bay, and a drive tray plate installed in the opening for the given drive bay.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein determining status information for the given drive bay comprises determining a status of a storage device installed in the given drive bay with respect to one or more software-defined storage pools, and wherein controlling the one or more status indicators comprises selectively illuminating at least one indicator on the plate responsive to determining the status of the storage device installed in the given drive bay with respect to the one or more software-defined storage pools.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plate comprises a control circuit board configured for coupling to at least one of the one or more lights of the spindle.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0280) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0255 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0124) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0012 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0001) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062021/0844 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058297/0332 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0124 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0280 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISSING PATENTS THAT WERE ON THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED SUBMITTED BUT NOT ENTERED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056250 FRAME: 0541. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 17, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056311/0781 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 14, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056250/0541 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2021
From: ZHANG, ZHUO; HUANG, XIANGDONG; LI, CHANGLIN; SUN, YAN
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 055178/0913 →