Abstract: An apparatus, in accordance with one approach, includes a receiving area configured to receive a plurality of tape spool pairs. A drive mechanism is configured to selectively drive the tape spool pairs. A magnetic head configured to perform data operations on magnetic recording tapes of the tape spool pairs is also present. A positioning mechanism is configured to selectively align the magnetic head to a selected one of the tape spool pairs. An engagement mechanism is configured to create a relative movement between the magnetic head and the magnetic recording tape of the selected tape spool pair for engaging the magnetic recording tape with the magnetic head. A controller is configured to instruct the drive mechanism to drive the selected tape spool pair during performance of data operations on the selected tape spool pair, and to instruct the drive mechanism to drive a second tape spool pair for performing a second operation on the second tape spool pair while the data operations are being performed.

Abstract: A tape cartridge for use in one or more tape drives of a tape library includes a cartridge housing and a magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is retained within the cartridge housing. The magnetic tape includes a first tape section that is pre-recorded with calibrated data for evaluating data durability on the magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is usable within the tape library to measure a health of the one or more tape drives and/or confirm a suitability of an operating environment within the tape library in terms of at least one of temperature and humidity. The calibrated data in the first tape section can be further configured for evaluating total transverse dimensional stability on the magnetic tape. The first tape section can include predetermined error patterns to assist in evaluating the data durability on the magnetic tape and/or periodic tape scrubbing operations to enhance data durability on the magnetic tape.

Abstract: A servo controller calculates an alternative movement amount, in a control cycle (n) in which a command cannot be received from the host controller, according to jerk calculated with reference to amounts of movement used for controlling the servomotor in former control cycles before the control cycle (n) and the movement amount used for controlling the servomotor in the previous control cycle before the control cycle (n). The servo controller controls movement of the servomotor by use of the alternative movement amount in the control cycle (n) in which the command cannot be received from the host controller.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a microactuator controller configured to generate a microactuator control signal, a feedforward microactuator compensator configured to generate a microactuator compensation signal, and a microactuator model filter configured to filter a modified microactuator control signal. The microactuator compensation signal is configured to be injected into the microactuator control signal to generate the modified microactuator control signal. The microactuator model filter generates a filtered modified microactuator control signal and injects the filtered modified microactuator control signal into a position error signal to generate a modified position error signal.

Abstract: Bits are written to a track of a heat-assisted magnetic recording medium via a write transducer at a first skew angle. The track is read via a read transducer oriented at a second skew angle different from the first skew angle. The second skew angle causes the read transducer be more closely aligned with boundaries of the bits than if oriented at the first skew angle.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are aspects of optical tape technology, tape manufacturing, and tape usage. Methods and systems of tape technology disclose optical tape media including: configurations, formulations, markings, and structure; optical tape manufacturing methods, systems, and apparatus methods and systems including: curing processes, coating methods, embossing, drums, testing, tracking alignment stamper strip; optical tape methods and systems including: pick up head adapted for the disclosed optical tape; and optical tape uses including optical storage media devices for multimedia applications.

Abstract: One embodiment of a tape drive apparatus has a non-volatile memory for storing an identifier. Data that is written by the tape drive apparatus to a loaded tape media is tagged using the identifier. This facilitates to identify the tape drive apparatus that has written the data onto the tape media such as for the purpose of failure analysis. Other devices and methods are included.

Abstract: A recording target error rate is selected for one or more of data storage devices, and for each data storage device, a dither value is determined for each read/write head in the data storage device, wherein for each head, using a dither value for writing data, essentially provides the selected recording target error for all the heads.

Abstract: An audio or other program signal is modified to provide protection against copying on a magnetic tape recorder. The signal from a source (10) is amplified (16) and then subjected to Fourier analysis (11) to determine the signal amplitude in a plurality of subbands across the audible range. The subband containing the component of greatest magnitude is selected on an adaptive basis and applied to a stored psycho-sensorial model (12), which determines the maximum amplitude of interference which can be masked by the selected subband. An anti-copy signal is generated (14) by complex division of the desired interference by a stored representation of the response of a tape recorder (13).