Magnetic recording control apparatus

A magnetic recording control apparatus for controlling a magnetic recording device dealing with a large capacity type magnetic recording medium having a capacity of a plurality of normal capacity type magnetic recording media, said apparatus being connected to a host computer, comprising:

• a data buffer for storing data, said data buffer being divided into a plurality of logical devices;
• a processor;
• a memory for storing control data;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting data stored in said each of logical devices to the magnetic recording device as a virtual volume, and transmitting control data to identify the virtual volume such that the control data is recorded at either one of a head or a tail of said each virtual volume on the magnetic recording medium,
• wherein capacity of each logical device is equal to a capacity of a virtual volume, a plurality of virtual volumes are stored in the magnetic recording medium and said processor stores information for identifying the virtual volume as said control data in said memory.

In a magnetic recording control apparatus for controlling a magnetic recording device dealing with a large capacity type magnetic recording medium having a capacity of a plurality of normal capacity type magnetic recording media, connected to a host device, and said magnetic recording control apparatus comprising a data buffer, and a transmitter, a method for using a large capacity type magnetic recording medium as a plurality of normal capacity type magnetic recording media in parallel comprising the steps of:

• defining a plurality of virtual volumes on the large capacity type magnetic recording medium;
• storing control data in memory to identify the virtual volume in the magnetic recording device;
• defining a plurality of logical devices, each logical device corresponding to a virtual volume;
• assigning the logical devices to the data buffer;
• receiving data from the host device and storing the data temporarily in the logical devices which the host device designates;
• and
• transmitting data in the logical device with said control data to the corresponding virtual volume in the large capacity type magnetic recording medium.