🚀 go-pugleaf

martins@TorreyPinesCA.ncr.com (Martin Sandman 3562) writes:
>Two months ago I didn't know about zones on disks that take advantage
>of the greater circumference of the outer zones.  It not only increases
>capacity of a disk but performance as well.  

      Yes, provided you have some kind of high-level drive interface where
true drive layout is hidden from the software, such as IDE or SCSI, this
is a good way to improve drive density.  It's tougher if the operating system's
driver has to deal with all these zones.

      It does create problems for some disk-optimization software,
though, where attempts are made to position files across track boundaries
for optimal reading speed.  Any info on how programs such as the Norton
Utilities deal with this issue?

      There's also the issue that disk drivers which reorder requests
to minimize head movement may not get the results expected.  But then,
with today's physically small drives, head movement time is comparable to
rotational latency, and the old emphasis on minimizing head movement
no longer applies.

					John Nagle