Coupling disks having only a single controller connection to more than one
controller. An adaptor interfaces an ATA disk with two interfaces to a
backplane having a fiber channel backplane interface form factor.
Switching logic controls the interfaces, so the ATA disk has redundant
capability for connecting to controlling devices. The backplane
communicates signals suitable to the ATA disk, while having the same form
factor as a fiber channel disk. The backplane is coupled to a signal
converter, so an ATA disk can be coupled to a fiber channel interface.
The signal converter allows backplanes with ATA disks to be mixed with
fiber channel disks, on one fiber channel loop. ATA disks are coupled to
fiber channel backplanes, so fiber channel techniques are used to provide
multiple controllers for them.