Storing data to magnetic tape both to one set of tracks and in the same operation rewritten to another set of tracks

A recording system for a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive having a plurality of write heads for writing to magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally with respect to said plurality of write heads, said recording system comprising:

• at least one buffer storing data to be written to magnetic tape, said at least one buffer having a plurality of separate data flow outputs;
• a plurality of recording channels receiving output data flow from said plurality of separate data flow outputs, and for operating separate sets of said plurality of write heads to write data to magnetic tape, said separate sets of said plurality of write heads configured to write to one set of tracks and to another set of tracks of said magnetic tape at a time, each of said sets of tracks comprising a wrap;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one buffer and said plurality of recording channels, said controller:
• selectively operating said at least one buffer and one of said plurality of recording channels to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads to write said provided data from said at least one buffer to one wrap of magnetic tape, and saving said provided data;
• and during the same operation, operating said at least one buffer and another of said plurality of recording channels to provide saved said data from said at least one buffer to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads to write said saved and provided data to another wrap of said magnetic tape;
• and
• selectively operating said at least one buffer and said plurality of recording channels to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause said plurality of write heads to write provided data to wraps of magnetic tape.

A magnetic tape drive, comprising:

• a drive system for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally;
• a plurality of write heads for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said drive system, said write heads configured into separate sets of write heads to write to one set of tracks and to another set of tracks of said magnetic tape at a time, each of said sets of tracks comprising a wrap;
• an interface for receiving data to be written to said magnetic tape;
• at least one buffer storing data received at said interface, said at least one buffer having a plurality of separate data flow outputs;
• a recording system receiving output data flow from said plurality of separate data flow outputs, and for operating said separate sets of said plurality of write heads to write data to magnetic tape;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one buffer and said recording system, said controller:
• operating said at least one buffer and one of said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads to write said provided data from said at least one buffer to one wrap of magnetic tape;
• saving said provided data at said at least one buffer;
• and
• during the same operation, operating said at least one buffer and another of said recording system to provide saved said data from said at least one buffer to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads to rewrite said saved data to another wrap of said magnetic tape in a continuous arrangement, whereby said separate sets of said plurality of write heads write said data to magnetic tape and rewrite said saved data to said magnetic tape during the same operation, said rewritten data comprising a continuous arrangement of said data.

A magnetic tape drive, comprising:

• a drive system for moving a magnetic tape longitudinally;
• a plurality of write heads for writing to said magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally by said drive system, said write heads configured into separate sets of write heads to write to one set of tracks and to another set of tracks of said magnetic tape at a time, each of said sets of tracks comprising a wrap;
• an interface for receiving data to be written to said magnetic tape;
• at least one buffer storing data received at said interface, said at least one buffer having a plurality of separate data flow outputs;
• a recording system receiving output data flow from said plurality of separate data flow outputs, and for operating said separate sets of said plurality of write heads to write data to magnetic tape;
• and
• a controller operating said at least one buffer and said recording system, said controller:
• selectively operating said at least one buffer and one of said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads to write said provided data from said at least one buffer to one wrap of magnetic tape, and saving said provided data;
• and during the same operation, operating said at least one buffer and another of said recording system to provide saved said data from said at least one buffer to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads to write said saved and provided data to another wrap of said magnetic tape;
• and
• selectively operating said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause said plurality of write heads to write provided data to wraps of magnetic tape.

A method for writing data to magnetic tape, for a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive having a plurality of write heads for writing to magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally with respect to said plurality of write heads, said method comprising the steps of:

• buffering data to be written to magnetic tape;
• providing said buffered data to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads, said separate set of write heads configured to write to one set of tracks at a time comprising a wrap, to write said provided data from said at least one buffer to one wrap of magnetic tape;
• saving said provided data;
• and
• during the same operation, providing saved said data to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads, said another separate set of write heads configured to write to another set of tracks at a time comprising another wrap, to rewrite said saved data to another wrap of said magnetic tape in a continuous arrangement, whereby said separate sets of said plurality of write heads write said data to magnetic tape and rewrite said saved data to said magnetic tape during the same operation, said rewritten data comprising a continuous arrangement of said data.

A method for writing data to magnetic tape, for a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive having a plurality of write heads for writing to magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally with respect to said plurality of write heads, said method comprising the steps of:

• selectively providing data to be written to magnetic tape to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads, said separate set of write heads configured to write to one set of tracks at a time comprising a wrap, to write said provided data to one wrap of magnetic tape;
• saving said provided data;
• and
• during the same operation, providing saved said data to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads, said another separate set of write heads configured to write to another set of tracks at a time comprising another wrap, to write said saved and provided data to another wrap of said magnetic tape;
• and
• selectively providing data to be written to magnetic tape to cause said plurality of write heads to write provided data to wraps of magnetic tape.

A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program product usable with at least one programmable computer processor having computer readable code embodied therein, said at least one programmable computer processor for operating a recording system for a magnetic tape drive;

• said magnetic tape drive having a plurality of write heads for writing to magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally with respect to said plurality of write heads;
• said recording system comprising at least one buffer storing data to be written to magnetic tape, said at least one buffer having a plurality of separate data flow outputs;
• and said recording system for operating separate sets of said plurality of write heads to write data from said plurality of data flow outputs to magnetic tape;
• comprising:
• computer readable program code causing said at least one programmable computer processor to operate said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads, said separate set of write heads configured to write to one set of tracks at a time comprising a wrap, to write said provided data from said at least one buffer to one wrap of magnetic tape;
• computer readable program code causing said at least one programmable computer processor to save said provided data at said at least one buffer;
• and
• computer readable program code causing said at least one programmable computer processor to, during the same operation, operate said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide saved said data from said at least one buffer to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads, said another separate set of write heads configured to write to another set of tracks at a time comprising another wrap, to rewrite said saved data to another wrap of said magnetic tape in a continuous arrangement, whereby said separate sets of said plurality of write heads write said data to magnetic tape and rewrite said saved data to said magnetic tape during the same operation, said rewritten data comprising a continuous arrangement of said data.

A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program product usable with at least one programmable computer processor having computer readable code embodied therein, said at least one programmable computer processor for operating a recording system for a magnetic tape drive;

• said magnetic tape drive having a plurality of write heads for writing to magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally with respect to said plurality of write heads;
• said recording system comprising at least one buffer storing data to be written to magnetic tape, said at least one buffer having a plurality of separate data flow outputs;
• and said recording system for operating separate sets of said plurality of write heads to write data from said plurality of separate data flow outputs to magnetic tape;
• comprising:
• computer readable program code causing said at least one programmable computer processor to selectively operate said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads, said separate set of write heads configured to write to one set of tracks at a time comprising a wrap, to write said provided data to one wrap of magnetic tape, and saving said provided data;
• and during the same operation, operate said at least one buffer and another of said recording system to provide saved said data from said at least one buffer to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads, said another separate set of write heads configured to write to another set of tracks at a time comprising another wrap, to write said saved and provided data to another wrap of said magnetic tape;
• and
• computer readable program code causing said at least one programmable computer processor to selectively operate said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause said plurality of write heads to write provided data to wraps of magnetic tape.

Control logic for a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive having a plurality of write heads for writing to magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally with respect to said plurality of write heads;

• at least one buffer storing data to be written to magnetic tape, said at least one buffer having a plurality of separate data flow outputs;
• and a recording system for operating separate sets of said plurality of write heads to write data from said plurality of separate data flow outputs to magnetic tape;
• said control logic:
• operating said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads, said separate set of write heads configured to write to one set of tracks at a time comprising a wrap, to write said provided data from said at least one buffer to one wrap of magnetic tape;
• saving said provided data at said at least one buffer;
• and
• during the same operation, operating said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide saved said data from said at least one buffer to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads, said another separate set of write heads configured to write to another set of tracks at a time comprising another wrap, to rewrite said saved data to another wrap of said magnetic tape in a continuous arrangement, whereby said separate sets of said plurality of write heads write said data to magnetic tape and rewrite said saved data to said magnetic tape during the same operation, said rewritten data comprising a continuous arrangement of said data.

Control logic for a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive having a plurality of write heads for writing to magnetic tape while said magnetic tape is moved longitudinally with respect to said plurality of write heads;

• at least one buffer storing data to be written to magnetic tape, said at least one buffer having a plurality of separate data flow outputs;
• and a recording system for operating separate sets of said plurality of write heads to write data from said plurality of separate data flow outputs to magnetic tape;
• said control logic:
• selectively operating said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause a separate set of said plurality of write heads, said separate set of write heads configured to write to one set of tracks at a time comprising a wrap, to write said provided data to one wrap of magnetic tape, and saving said provided data;
• and during the same operation, operating said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide saved said data from said at least one buffer to cause another separate set of said plurality of write heads, said another separate set of write heads configured to write to another set of tracks at a time comprising another wrap, to write said saved and provided data to another wrap of said magnetic tape;
• and
• selectively operating said at least one buffer and said recording system to provide data from said at least one buffer to cause said plurality of write heads to write said provided data to wraps of magnetic tape.