Interchangeable Data Storage Bricks?

shokk writes "EWeek is reporting that IBM is working on a concept called Ice Cube Storage Bricks that uses a conductive ceramic or mylar plate to transmit data between bricks across an air gap. Research center staff member Robert Gardner says that the idea is 'to walk up to the system, attach the storage and then walk away.' No mention is made of what happens when a brick in the middle of the cube needs to be replaced and the whole thing needs to be disassembled. To be really effective, this would need to be teamed up with some sort of a backplane, but the tech is new and neat."

Comments

IT Jenga game?

[jcostantino]

If you have to replace a block in the middle and the pile collapses, does the server crash and you lose?

Legos

[nizo]

The bricks can be assembled "in a big pile of bricks or it could be a one-dimensional wall of bricks," which could make maintenance even easier.

I knew that playing with legos would come in handy sooner or later.

Ultimate Geek Lego Blocks?

[bchernicoff]

How long before we see sites dedicated to storage array building contests?

Should we worry?

[nizo]

Called CIB (Collective Intelligent Bricks)...

That name for the individual bricks, coupled with the fact the picture they have on the website of the partially constructed collection looks kinda like this is rather disturbing.

All in all, it's just a...

[jejones]

...nother brick in the mass storage unit.

Darn. Doesn't scan.

Re:No mention of...

[grub]

It's getting bad when the person submitting the story doesn't even RTFA.

Reading the articles goes against the RFC.

Re:No mention of...

[FFFish]

The solution is easy, too: there are three ceramic pads. One merely executes a Towers of Hanoi routine to work one's way down to the defective brick.