1. A network storage system for archiving data, the network storage system comprising: one or more modular drive bays, each modular drive bay comprising: one or more drive ports, each drive port separately addressable; one or more data cartridge connectors, each data cartridge connector electrically connected to a drive port; one or more removable disk drives, the one or more removable disk drives operable to store archival data, each removable disk drive further operable to be inserted into one of the drive ports, each removable disk drive comprising: a data cartridge case; a connector electrically connected to one of the one or more data cartridge connectors, the connector physically attached to the data cartridge case; and an embedded memory, the embedded memory physically attached to the data cartridge case, the embedded memory electrically connected to the connector, the embedded memory operable to store archival data; and wherein the network storage system is partitioned to include one or more application layer partitions, each application layer partition associated with one or more drive ports such that the one or more removable disk drives inserted into the one or more drive ports provide storage for the application layer partition.