Automated Testing of Hot Swap Scenarios of Field Replaceable Units in a Storage System

摘要

System and method for automated testing of hot swap scenarios of field replaceable units (FRUs) in a storage system comprises an external automation server that distributes control signals to actuation systems within a number of FRUs. Power for the actuation systems may be provided by the external automation server or by self-contained power supplies with each actuation system. The actuation systems are responsive to the control signals to move the storage devices back-and-forth thereby electrically and physically disconnecting the storage device's mating connector from the backplane connector. This approach provides a high degree of automation while closely emulating customer hot swap scenarios.

主权项

1. An automated test system for hot swapping field replaceable units in a storage system, comprising:
a storage system, comprising:
one or more backplanes, each backplane having one or more connectors;one or more processing boards in electrical communication with the one or more backplanes, each board having at least one central processing unit (CPU);one or more power supplies that supply power to the one or more backplanes and the processing boards; andone or more field replaceable units (FRUs), each FRU including a carrier, a storage device, a mating connector for connection to one of the backplane connectors and a latch mechanism for physically locking and unlocking the FRU, wherein all power, data and control signals to and from the storage device pass through its mating connector while the storage system is powered and operational, one or more actuation systems within respective FRUs, each actuation system responsive to a hot swap control signal to move the storage device within the stationary and locked FRU to physically connect or physically disconnect its mating connector to or from the associated backplane connector to create a hot swap event while the storage system is powered and operational; an automation test server external to said storage system, said test server configured with an external power supply output that supplies test power and a control output that generates the hot swap control signal for each of the one or more actuation systems; and a number of cables that connect the test server's external power supply output and control output to the actuation system in the one or more FRUs.