1. A data storage system, comprising: a plurality of storage drives each comprising a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface, and configured to store data and retrieve the data stored on associated storage media responsive to storage operations; a plurality of processing modules each comprising one or more processors, where a first processor is configured to receive at least a portion of the storage operations and transfer the portion of the storage operations for delivery to associated ones of the plurality of storage drives over a PCIe interface; a monitoring system configured to identify when the first processor fails, and responsively instruct a second processor to handle further storage operations directed to storage drives associated with the first processor.