A system and method is provided for obtaining and utilizing operational information for a plurality of displays in a distributed computing system. The system can provide for a plurality of base units which are coupled with a plurality of displays. The displays operation to collect and store operational data which can then be transmitted to the base units. The base units can be coupled to a network, and through the network operation data for the displays can be transmitted to an administrative computer. The administrative computer can then store and the analyze the operational data for the plurality of displays. This analysis can be used to identify under utilized assets, and to identify displays which have been operated under conditions which suggest a need for replacement, or servicing.

A system is provided for switching the I/O channel for disk drives between multiple computers. The system incorporates the switch into removable drive modules, or a docking base for a removable drive module. The incorporation of switching into the system, such that it is integral with the drives, can reduce overall system failures, by reducing the number of elements which flow through a central switching element. Thus, even where a switch fails other drive modules of the system may continue to operate in the system and provide information to different computers of the system.