A magnetic tape device. The angle θ formed by the axis of the element array of the magnetic head with respect to a width direction of the magnetic tape is changed during running of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device. In a case where predetermined storage is defined as one cycle, a maximum value of an absolute value of a difference between a servo band spacing obtained before performing the storage and a servo band spacing obtained after the storage of N cycles is defined as A, and N is set to 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, a medium life calculated by a linear function of A and a logarithm log.sub.e T of T, that are derived from a value of A and a value of the logarithm log.sub.e T of total storage time T of the storage of N cycles is 5 years or longer.

A storage control apparatus controls a tape apparatus including a plurality of tape drives. The storage control apparatus is configured to calculate, when causing the tape apparatus to execute write processing of dividing write data into a predetermined size and writing to a plurality of magnetic tapes, a write start position of the write data for each of the plurality of magnetic tapes where the write start position being different in each of the plurality of magnetic tapes and instruct the tape apparatus with the write start positions, and specify, when a reading range is designated, a read start position indicating a head of data in the reading range for each magnetic tape, and instruct the tape apparatus to read data in the reading range in an order from a magnetic tape of which the read start position is closer to an end of the magnetic tape.

A signal processing device includes a receiver that receives a plurality of playback signal sequence obtained by digitizing a plurality of reading results by a plurality of A/D converter, the plurality of reading results being obtained by reading data by a plurality of reading elements from a magnetic tape and a plurality of equalizers that perform waveform equalization of the plurality of playback signal sequence. The plurality of equalizers perform the waveform equalization by using a plurality of non-linear filters that have been learned to reduce distortion that occurs non-linearly in the plurality of playback signal sequence according to a condition under an environment in which the data is read from the magnetic tape. The plurality of non-linear filters being optimized to a suitable characteristic for the plurality of reading elements by optimization based on the plurality of reading results.

A storage control apparatus controls a tape apparatus including a plurality of tape drives. The storage control apparatus is configured to calculate, when causing the tape apparatus to execute write processing of dividing write data into a predetermined size and writing to a plurality of magnetic tapes, a write start position of the write data for each of the plurality of magnetic tapes where the write start position being different in each of the plurality of magnetic tapes and instruct the tape apparatus with the write start positions, and specify, when a reading range is designated, a read start position indicating a head of data in the reading range for each magnetic tape, and instruct the tape apparatus to read data in the reading range in an order from a magnetic tape of which the read start position is closer to an end of the magnetic tape.

A method according to one embodiment includes forming a first portion of a thin film writer structure on a substantially planar portion of a substrate such that planes of deposition of the first portion of the writer structure are substantially parallel to a plane of the substrate; forming a portion of a write gap of the writer structure at an angle of greater than 0° relative to the substantially planar portion of the substrate; and causing the writer structure to tilt at an angle relative to the plane of the substrate such that a plane of deposition of the write gap is oriented about perpendicular to a final media-facing surface of the writer structure.

A tape apparatus includes a tape drive and a processor. The tape drive is configured to perform data reading and data writing on a magnetic tape in which a plurality of tracks are formed. The processor is configured to control the tape drive to perform data reading and data writing on the plurality of tracks in a first segment among a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the magnetic tape in a running direction. The processor is configured to reserve a first track of the plurality of tracks as a copy target upon determining that an abnormality occurs in the first segment on the first track. The processor is configured to instruct the tape drive to copy data recorded in the first segment on the first track to a second segment on the first track at a predetermined timing. The second segment is adjacent to the first segment.

The invention provides a signal processing device, including: an extraction section that extracts, from an input digital signal, a decoding target signal at an extraction timing that has been determined as a timing for extracting the decoding target signal; a decoding section that decodes the decoding target signal by estimating, by a maximum likelihood decoding, a candidate for a decoding result of the decoding target signal extracted by the extraction section and detecting a maximum likelihood decoding result; and an adjustment section that adjusts the extraction timing using a likelihood of the candidate for the decoding result estimated by the decoding section.

A tape library apparatus includes a tape drive, a robot unit, and a second processor. The tape drive includes a first access mechanism and a first processor. The first access mechanism is configured to read position information from a non-contact type memory within a tape cartridge. The position information indicates a position of data recorded in a magnetic tape within the tape cartridge. The first processor is configured to perform positioning for the data. The robot unit includes a robot arm and a second access mechanism configured to access the non-contact type memory. The robot arm is configured to store the tape cartridge in the robot unit, and move the tape cartridge to the tape drive. The second processor is configured to control the second access mechanism to read the position information from the non-contact type memory, and store the position information in a non-volatile memory.

A tape head including a body exhibiting a tape-bearing area is provided. The body comprises at least one transducer that is a read element or a write element, configured in the tape head so as for the tape head to read from or write to a magnetic tape, in operation. The tape-bearing area is essentially covered by an electrically conducting layer of material. This way, the exposed surface of the electrically conducting layer essentially forms the tape-bearing surface of the tape head, which surface contacts the magnetic tape, in operation. A tape head apparatus for recording or reproducing multi-track tapes including the tape head is also provided.

A signal processing device includes a receiver that receives a plurality of playback signal sequence obtained by digitizing a plurality of reading results by a plurality of A/D converter, the plurality of reading results being obtained by reading data by a plurality of reading elements from a magnetic tape and a plurality of equalizers that perform waveform equalization of the plurality of playback signal sequence. The plurality of equalizers perform the waveform equalization by using a plurality of non-linear filters that have been learned to reduce distortion that occurs non-linearly in the plurality of playback signal sequence according to a condition under an environment in which the data is read from the magnetic tape. The plurality of non-linear filters being optimized to a suitable characteristic for the plurality of reading elements by optimization based on the plurality of reading results.