A data storage device can have one or more rotating data media with data tracks that are radially disposed from a central spindle. The data tracks may be logically divided into multiple regions while a write strategy is generated with a region module to set a sequence of different regions for future data writes. Receipt of a data write request to the data storage media from a host can prompt the region module to classify the data write request as a sequential or random write in order to intelligently select a region to satisfy the data write request based on the write strategy to maximize data writing consistency for data associated with the data write request.

Methods, devices and systems are provided for making a shingled magnetic recording (SMR) hard disk drive operate with similar random access characteristics of a conventional hard drive despite the SMR disk having strict sequential write requirements. A virtual space manager manages a virtual address space, which is visible to a host system, and maps virtual addresses to logical addresses on the SMR disk. A logical space manager controls the placement of data on the SMR disk and ensures that writes to the disk comply with the sequential write requirements. The disk is subdivided into a plurality of stripes each comprising one or more blocks. When a block located within a stripe is to be rewritten with new data, the entire stripe is read from the SMR disk into a memory of the system, the stripe is modified in the memory to replace the previous data stored in the block with the new data, and the modified stripe is written to a new, next available stripe on the disk.

According to one embodiment, a method includes receiving a write request and determining a first portion of information associated with the write request. The method additionally includes determining a first location on a first disk to write the first portion of information and, based on the determined first location on the first disk, determining a second location on a second disk to write the first portion of information. The method further includes writing the first portion of the information to the first location on the first disk. The first location comprises an outer track of the first disk. The method further includes writing the first portion of the information to the second location on the second disk, the second location comprising an inner track of the second disk.

A data storage device can have one or more rotating data media with data tracks that are radially disposed from a central spindle. The data tracks may be logically divided into multiple regions while a write strategy is generated with a region module to set a sequence of different regions for future data writes. Receipt of a data write request to the data storage media from a host can prompt the region module to classify the data write request as a sequential or random write in order to intelligently select a region to satisfy the data write request based on the write strategy to maximize data writing consistency for data associated with the data write request.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk, a head including a write head that writes data to the disk, and a first read head and a second read head that read data from the disk, and a controller that, in reading a first track of a first region of the disk, positions a middle portion of the first read head and the second read head at a first track center of the first track, and in reading a second track of a second region of the disk different from the first region, positions any one of the first read head and the second read head at a second track center of the second track.

A data storage device includes a first data storage surface and a second data storage below the first data storage surface. The data storage device also includes a first micro-actuator coupled to a first arm that supports a first head over the first data storage surface, and a second micro-actuator coupled to a second arm that supports a second head over the second data storage surface. The data storage device further includes a coarse actuator, to which the first and second arms are coupled, that positions the first head and the second head between corresponding first and second tracks on the respective first and second data storage surfaces. Micro-actuator drive circuitry finely positions the first head over the first track and the second head over the second track by concurrently driving the first micro-actuator and the second micro-actuator in opposite directions.

A tape device includes: a tape drive configured to read and write data to a tape medium; and a processor configured to: determine, when requested to read data from a first segment and a second segment on the tape medium, a data amount in a third segment located between the first segment and the second segment; compare the data amount with a threshold value that is determined based on a reading characteristic of the tape drive; instruct the tape drive, when the data amount is the threshold value or more, to read data from the first segment, skip the third segment, and read data from the second segment; and instruct the tape drive, when the data amount is less than the threshold value, to continuously read data from the first segment, the third segment, and the second segment.

A tape device includes: a tape drive configured to read and write data to a tape medium; and a processor configured to: determine, when requested to read data from a first segment and a second segment on the tape medium, a data amount in a third segment located between the first segment and the second segment; compare the data amount with a threshold value that is determined based on a reading characteristic of the tape drive; instruct the tape drive, when the data amount is the threshold value or more, to read data from the first segment, skip the third segment, and read data from the second segment; and instruct the tape drive, when the data amount is less than the threshold value, to continuously read data from the first segment, the third segment, and the second segment.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk, a head including a write head that writes data to the disk, and a first read head and a second read head. that read data from the disk, and a controller that, in reading a first track of a first region of the disk, positions a middle portion of the first read head and. the second read head at a first track center of the first track, and in reading a second track of a second region. of the disk different from the first region, positions any one of the first read head and the second read. bead at a second track center of the second track.

A first time period is determined during which a first head driven by a first actuator will be performing a track-following operation. A second time period is also determined during which a second head driven by a second actuator will be performing a low-priority disk access operation that includes a seek. The first and second actuators are independently movable such that the first and second disk access operations are capable of being performed in parallel. If it is determined that the seek of the second head will impact servo control of the track-following operation of the first head, a start time of the seek of the second head is changed to correspond to a time that mitigates impacts to the track-following operation of the first head.