Recording apparatus and method for an arrayed recording apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to an arrayed recording apparatus with reduced writing time. Various devices are used to write data without redundant data and to update the redundant data more efficiently during idle time. In one embodiment, a temporary write track is provided for each cylinder. When data are read, updated and re-written, the data are re-written to the temporary write track. Since the re-writing does not require a full disk rotation, the writing occurs quickly. Data in the temporary write track are relocated into the disk during an idle state, without being synchronized. Additionally, corresponding blocks in data areas can be used for writing data rather than a specified temporary write track. In order to improve re-writing time, the rotation of the disk drives can be synchronized to avoid full rotations between reads and writes, or cache memories for each disk can be used. When data is accessed from a host computer in a first unit size and from the memory devices in a second unit size, a buffer and cache can be used to limit the written data to those portions of the second unit size which have been changed. Each of these devices reduces the total access time for writing to arrayed recording devices.