Abstract: This disclosure concerns protective overcoatings for an information storage record which includes an information-layer adapted for optical data recording. The protective overcoatings are transparent to recording radiation and especially adapted to enhance service life and recording characteristics.A typical coating comprises the polymerization product of a formulation including at least one radiation-cured "bulk resin" (e.g, an acrylated epoxy or an acrylate monomer or pre-polymer), plus an associated non-yellowing photo-initiator, a non-yellowing adhesion-promoter and related coating-constituents.Once applied, this coating is cured by exposure to UV radiation such as to cure it without heating it significantly so that said radiation functions as the sole or principal polymerizing agent, acting quickly, and with little or no supplemental heat, and without extended "tackiness". This formulation will readily "level" to render the desired coating to serve as a mechanical/chemical barrier.

Abstract: A multiplicity of independently operating disk drive subsystems are coupled to a read/write interface containing error circuitry and data organizer circuitry. The data organizer circuitry organizes read/write data for read/write communication with the disk drive subsystems via the error circuitry such that the overall system appears as a large, high capacity disk drive system having an unusually high fault tolerance and a very high bandpass. Caching is additionally provided in the read/write interface in a manner which takes advantage of the organization provided by the data organizer to significantly improve overall performance. Advantage is also taken of the conventionally provided error detection capability of each disk drive subsystem to enhance the capability of the error circuitry.