Data storage system having two disk drive controllers each having transmit and receive path connected in common to single port of disk drive via buffer or multiplexer

摘要

A data storage apparatus arranged to provide redundancy in a storage enclosure containing multiple Serial ATA disk drives is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one disk drive of a kind having a single port for the input and output of serial data and at least two disk drive controllers each having data transmit and receive paths connected in common to the single port. The apparatus then switches control to either controller if the other should fail.