DE29620090U1 - CD-ROM server with parallel and simultaneous access to any number of drives, even in network operation - Google Patents

Description

Description

CD-ROM server with multiple drives in one housing, which can be operated in network mode for all network participants regardless of location.

The CD-ROM servers covered by the protection claims 1.-6. offer, in contrast to CD-ROM servers or changers of conventional design, the possibility of accessing all CD-ROMs or other data storage devices located in the drives without the CD-ROM server having to be connected to the network via a SCSI interface. The possibility of parallel access to all CD-ROM drives, which is particularly lacking with changers, is available.

In order to achieve comparable solutions, when installing a CD-ROM server it is currently necessary to either intervene in an existing hardware configuration by inserting a SCSI card and reconfiguring the server's entire hardware, or the individual drives must be connected externally in series and connected to the network via an additional control unit.

Usually, at the end of the CD-ROM server in the network, the file server must be shut down, i.e. the current operation in the network must be stopped, the computers must be opened, the corresponding plug-in cards must be installed, the hardware of the file server must then be reconfigured, the servers must be locked, put into operation and then restarted.

The invention underlying the protection claim is based on the problem of creating a CD-ROM server in a housing,

• which offers versatile usability, fast and parallel access options

• and in network operation, simultaneous query and use by all workstations

• and central administration of individual or grouped CD-ROM drives (or magneto-optical drives or CD-ROM burners)

• and provides a single connection to the network

• and can therefore be easily connected and configured regardless of location and without temporarily shutting down or permanently changing the operation of a network.

This problem is solved by the invention with the features listed in claims 1 - 6. A processor-controlled unit in the CD-ROM server converts all standard SCSI signals into network-compliant standard signals. The data stream is routed to the network environment via control software and then further managed and processed in the network software.

The invention makes it possible to create a location-independent CD-ROM server in the network without configuration with SCSI data cables and the necessary intervention in the existing server, while simultaneously housing all CD-ROM drives in one housing. It is even possible to integrate the CD-ROM server into LAN, MAN and WAN (Worldwide Area Network), i.e. also wireless data connections. Thanks to the simplified installation, the CD-ROM server can be connected without technical intervention, at any time, even during ongoing operation, and without affecting network operation, which can be maintained without restriction.

In addition, the invention achieves better utilization through optimized access options to the CD-ROMs in the drives by a previously impossible number of workstations in network operation.

In addition to significant cost advantages compared to the isolated production of up to 14 CD-ROM drives, each with its own housing, its own

Power supply, own connection and own software, which also requires separate and complex network management and access software, the invention offers a uniform and user-friendly management and network software that runs under the current and future common workstation and network operating systems. This software also saves the effort of administration because the CD-ROM drives and other drives with other data storage devices cannot be configured individually with a drive letter for the shared CD-ROM server, as is usual today. Only in this way is it possible to access a larger number of CD-ROM drives that exceeds the number of available letters of the alphabet.

These and other functions can also be fully retained in network operation with the free configuration of any number of networks and with location-independent access to all CD-ROM drives in the CD-ROM server described here.

Both slide-in housings (e.g. 19-inch), tower housings and all other housing shapes can be used for the CD-ROM server.

These housings can be lockable to prevent unauthorized access to the CD-ROMs or other data storage devices in the drives.

In addition to being equipped with CD-ROM drives, a CD-ROM server can also be equipped in whole or in part with drives that read and write rewritable or writable optical or magneto-optical data media, or with CD-ROM burners. In this case, the processor-controlled unit in the CD-ROM server can convert the data streams and control commands from the network to the SCSI drive. This enables the use of a variable data set in the network.

Examples of implementation

An embodiment of the invention which covers the features specified in claims 1, 2 and 3 is shown in Figure 1.

Fig.l shows the invention in the version with six CD-ROM drives, a redundant, i.e. fail-safe power supply through parallel connection of two independent power supplies, in a slide-in housing (19 inch)

and the connection option provided on the rear of the housing for the CD-ROM server on the network

and the double-equipped power supply

and the processor-controlled unit that converts the SCSI data into network-compliant data.

BE ZU GS ZEICHENLIST

for utility model registration West Network GmbH

1 SCSi1

2 SCSi2

3 Electricity

4 SCSI

5 RJ45

6 BNC

7 2 redundant power supplies of 250 W each

8 Power input 220 V

9 Power to / Add - on - Module

10 BNC output network

11 RJ 45 output network

12 SCSi 1 output add-on module

Claims (6)

■ · Right to protection 1. CD-ROM server with multiple CD-ROM drives that have a common power supply and are all housed in one housing characterized, that any number of drives of any format, whether 2ß inch, 5.25 inch or laser format, can be accessed via a network connection in single operation or in network operation with any number of workstations via LAN, Internet, ISDN or other connections, simultaneously and in parallel, whereby the CD-ROM drives are managed in a central CD-ROM server management, are organized in groups and all current and future network software is supported
and the CD-ROM server converts standard SCSI signals and data into network-compliant standard signals and data by a processor-controlled unit and can be connected to the file server via control software in network operation completely independent of location via any network connection (e.g. Internet, Ethernet, Token Ring, WAN, ISDN). 2. CD-ROM server according to claim 1, characterized in that the common power supply is redundant, i.e. fail-safe, by connecting two power supplies in parallel, which individually ensure the operation of the device. 3. CD-ROM server according to claim 1 and &Idigr; and 2, characterized in that a maximum of 6 CD-ROM drives are housed in an open or lockable rack housing (e.g. 19 inches). 4. CD-ROM server according to claim 1 and according to 1 and 2, characterized in that open or lockable tower housings are used. 5. CD-ROM server according to claim 1, according to 1 and 2, and according to 1 and 2 and 4, and according to 1 and 2 and 4, characterized in that the processor-controlled unit enables the implementation of the data stream and the control commands also in the direction of SCSI drives and rewritable optical and magneto-optical removable data storage media can be managed in the associated drives both for reading and writing. 6. CD-ROM server according to claim 1, according to 1 and 2, according to 1 and 2 and 3, according to 1 and 2 and 4, according to 1 and 2 and 3 and 5 and according to 1 and 2 and 4 and 5 characterized in that the processor-controlled unit enables the implementation of the data stream and the control commands also in the direction of SCSI drives and CD-ROM burners can be used.