In one aspect of tape repositioning management in accordance with the present description, in response to loading a tape in a tape drive, mounting the tape linear tape file system (LTFS) is initiated including reading an index partition on the tape to extract metadata for mounting the tape LTFS, and prior to accessing a data area of the tape in response to any application access request, the tape is repositioned within a data partition to read a vHRTD (virtual High Resolution Tape Directory) recorded in an EOD (End of Data) portion such as an EOD data set, for example, of the data partition. The EOD portion is read to retrieve the vHRTD to facilitate application requested accesses to the tape. In one embodiment, repositioning and stopping the tape at the beginning of the data partition after reading the index partition containing metadata is bypassed.

In one aspect of tape repositioning management in accordance with the present description, in response to loading a tape in a tape drive, mounting the tape linear tape file system (LTFS) is initiated including reading an index partition on the tape to extract metadata for mounting the tape LTFS, and prior to accessing a data area of the tape in response to any application access request, the tape is repositioned within a data partition to read a vHRTD (virtual High Resolution Tape Directory) recorded in an EOD (End of Data) portion such as an EOD data set, for example, of the data partition. The EOD portion is read to retrieve the vHRTD to facilitate application requested accesses to the tape. In one embodiment, repositioning and stopping the tape at the beginning of the data partition after reading the index partition containing metadata is bypassed.

The present invention provides a method of partitioning a tape medium dynamically by using a new method of writing data. It enables users to change size of the partitions later and to use all capacity of a tape efficiently. When a tape is divided into partitions, data is written in such a manner that the wraps are written in the partitions of the data band alternately in the forward direction and in the backward direction on the data band from the different sides of the data band toward the inside of the data band (W1,W2,W3 . . . ) and the location (C) at which the wrap (Wm) of the one partition collides with the wrap (Wn) of the other partition is defined as the demarcation (PB) of these partitions (P0,P1).

A computer program product, according to one embodiment, includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to: receive a first portion of data, and divide the first portion of data into a plurality of blocks. An identification segment having identification information therein is appended to each of the blocks, each block and the corresponding identification information appended thereto forming a record. Each record is written in a data partition of the magnetic tape, and an index may be written in the data partition of the magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is rewound to a beginning of tape in response to a final one of the records being written in the magnetic tape, and the index is written in an index partition of the magnetic tape.

A computer program product, according to one embodiment, includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to: receive a first portion of data, and divide the first portion of data into a plurality of blocks. An identification segment having identification information therein is appended to each of the blocks, each block and the corresponding identification information appended thereto forming a record. Each record is written in a data partition of the magnetic tape, and an index may be written in the data partition of the magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is rewound to a beginning of tape in response to a final one of the records being written in the magnetic tape, and the index is written in an index partition of the magnetic tape.

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: receiving a first portion of data to be written in a magnetic medium, dividing the first portion of data into a plurality of blocks, appending an identification segment having identification information therein to each of the blocks, wherein each block and the corresponding identification information appended thereto forms a record, writing each record in a data partition of the magnetic medium, and writing an index in the data partition of the magnetic medium in response to a predetermined condition being met, wherein the index is associated with all data on the magnetic medium. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, the degree of side erasure occurring in neighboring tracks is controlled by controlling the skew angle of the tape head, relative to the longitudinal direction of motion of the tape past the head as a track is written. In one embodiment, the tape head is rotated relative to the longitudinal direction of tape travel, and the trailing edge of the tape head which forms an acute angle with the edge of a track being written, is used for writing tracks at a desired track pitch. Other aspects and advantages may be provided, depending upon the particular application.

A magnetic recording tape writing apparatus includes an array of write transducers extending along a common tape bearing surface. Each of the write transducers has a lower pole having a lower pole tip, a lower coil layer above the lower pole, an intermediate coil layer above the lower coil layer, and an upper coil layer above the intermediate coil layer. An upper pole is positioned above the upper coil layer, the upper pole having an upper pole tip. In one embodiment, a nonmagnetic write gap is positioned between the pole tips, a plane of deposition of the write gap extending between the intermediate coil layer and the lower coil layer. In another embodiment, a nonmagnetic write gap is positioned between the pole tips, a plane of deposition of the write gap extending between the intermediate coil layer and the upper coil layer.

A magnetic recording tape writing apparatus includes an array of write transducers extending along a common tape bearing surface. Each of the write transducers has a lower pole having a lower pole tip, a lower coil layer above the lower pole, an intermediate coil layer above the lower coil layer, and an upper coil layer above the intermediate coil layer. An upper pole is positioned above the upper coil layer, the upper pole having an upper pole tip. In one embodiment, a nonmagnetic write gap is positioned between the pole tips, a plane of deposition of the write gap extending between the intermediate coil layer and the lower coil layer. In another embodiment, a nonmagnetic write gap is positioned between the pole tips, a plane of deposition of the write gap extending between the intermediate coil layer and the upper coil layer.

A method for writing data from a table to a tape includes setting a number of partitions on the tape, where the number of partitions is greater than or equal to a number of columns of the table to be written to the tape, and writing data from each column of the table to at least one partition of the tape, the at least one partition including two or more wraps, the data is written from a top of the two or more wraps towards a bottom of the two or more wraps in a direction of a width of the at least one partition. The written data is reciprocated from a beginning of the tape to an end of the tape in a longitudinal direction of the tape such that writing of a last data entry of one column ends at a beginning of the two or more wraps.