Disk enclosure
A disk enclosure is a specialized casing designed to hold and power disk drives while providing a mechanism to allow them to communicate to one or more separate computers. Drive enclosures provide power to the drives therein and convert the data sent across their native data bus into a format usable by an external connection on the computer to which it is connected. In some cases, the conversion is as trivial as carrying a signal between different connector types. In others, it is complicated enough to require a separate embedded system to retransmit data over connector and signal of a different standard. Factory-assembled external hard disk drives, external DVD-ROM drives, and others consist of a storage device in a disk enclosure. Key benefits to using external disk enclosures include: Adding additional storage space and media types to small form factor and laptop computers, as well as sealed embedded systems such as digital video recorders and video game consoles. Adding RAID capabilities to computers that lack RAID controllers or adequate space for additional drives. Adding more drives to any given server or workstation than their chassis can hold. Transferring data between non-networked computers, humorously known as sneakernet. Adding an easily removable backup source with a separate power supply from the connected computer. Using a network-attached storage-capable enclosure over a network to share data or provide a cheap off-site backup solution. Preventing the heat from a disk drive from increasing the heat inside an operating computer case. Simple and cheap approach to hot swapping. Recovering the data from a damaged computer's hard drive, particularly when it does not share the same interface with the computer used to perform the recovery. Lower the cost of removable storage by reusing hardware designed for internal use. In some instances, provides a hardened chassis to prevent wear and tear. In the consumer market, commonly used configurations of drive enclosures utilize magnetic hard drives or optical disc drives inside USB, FireWire, or Serial ATA enclosures.
