Interleaved recording of separated error correction encoded information

A magnetic tape drive, comprising:

• a tape drive system for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally;
• a recording system for recording supplied information to a magnetic tape, said magnetic tape recording system having at least one magnetic tape recording head for recording a plurality of parallel tracks of said information with respect to said magnetic tape as said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said tape drive system;
• a data handling system for supplying information for recording by said recording system, comprising:
• a data separator for arranging said supplied information into separate groups;
• an error correction encoder for applying an outer error correction code to one of said separate groups of information, forming one set of rows of information and outer ECC information;
• an error correction encoder for applying an outer error correction code to another of said separate groups of information, forming another set of rows of information and outer ECC information;
• and
• a data organizer for interleaving said one set of rows of information and outer ECC information with said another set of rows of information and outer ECC information, and supplying said rows of information and outer ECC information to said recording system for recording on said parallel tracks of a magnetic tape by said recording system in an interleaved pattern of said one set of rows of information and outer ECC information with said another set of rows of information and outer ECC information.

A data storage tape, comprising:

• a longitudinal recording medium;
• and
• a plurality of parallel tracks of recorded information, comprising an interleaved pattern of one set of rows of information and outer ECC information, and at least another set of rows of information and outer ECC information, said rows of information and outer ECC information comprising information from separate groups of information and separate applied outer error correction codes;
• said one set of rows of information and outer ECC information formed from one of said separate groups of information and an applied outer error correction code, and said at least another set of rows of information and outer ECC information formed from at least another of said separate groups of information and an applied outer error correction code.