Module 15 Magnetic Systems

12. Magnetic Systems

1. Mass Storage

Due to the volatility and limited size of a computer’s main memory, most computers have additional
memory devices called mass storage (or secondary storage) systems, including magnetic disks, CDs,
DVDs, magnetic tapes, flash drives, and solid-state disks (all of which we will discuss shortly). The
advantages of mass storage systems over main memory include less volatility, large storage
capacities, low cost, and in many cases, the ability to remove the storage medium from the machine
for archival purposes.

1.
2. How it works

One typical device has been shown in the Figure 19.

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 Thin spinning disk with magnetic coating to hold data
 Read/Write Heads placed above or below disk
 Each head traverses a circle called track.
 Normally, each track is divided into equal sectors
 Sectors have equal number of bits: 512 bytes to few KBs.
  Outer tracks contain more information. 

1. Zoned-bit recording
1. Adjacent tracks form Zones.  
2. A typical disk contains 10 zones
3. All tracks within a zone have equal number of sectors.   
4. Seek Time

Time required to move the read/write heads from one track to another.

1. Rotation Delay

Average amount of time required for the desired data to rotate around to the read/write head once the
head has been positioned over the desired track.

1. Access Time

The sum of seek time and rotation delay

1. Transfer rate

The rate at which data can be transferred to or from the disk.