This title provides comprehensive and current information on this rapidly changing area of technology. It is the first book to address the mass storage applications of helical scan tape, digital audio tape, and other optical formats. The opening chapter provides a summary of the major applications requiring mass storage and of the mass storage market. The following chapters contain a detailed description of key technologies that must be integrated together to form a mass storage system. These include discussions of storage media, storage and robotic devices, storage and file management software packages and major integration issues. Finally there is a review of existing systems and a preview of likely developments in the coming years. The book is written collectively by experts in the respective areas who have a very broad base of experience in the mass storage field.
