Linear recording device for executing optimum writing upon receipt of series of commands including mixed read and write commands and method and program for executing the same

A method for writing data in a tape recording apparatus, the method comprising:

• receiving a series of commands, the series of commands including mixed read, overwrite, and append write commands;
• reading data from a specified position of the tape using a head and storing the data in a buffer in response to a read command;
• and
• writing data stored in the buffer starting from an appended data end position of the tape in response to an append write command.

A method for writing data in a tape recording apparatus, the method comprising:

• in response to receipt of an append write command, storing data stored in a buffer to a non-volatile memory starting from an appended data end position;
• sending a completion notification of the append write command to a higher-level device when data in the buffer is written in the non-volatile memory;
• moving to a tape writing position where the data stored in the non-volatile memory is to be written;
• and
• performing append writing on a basis of a predetermined criterion so as to minimize a moving distance by which a tape travels relative to a head, when moving from an end position on the tape of read data for a m-th read command to a reading start position for a subsequent n-th read command, wherein n=m+1.