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Optical Drives

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Access Time – The time it takes for an optical drive to locate data on an optical disk. Measured in milliseconds.

Data Transfer Rate – The speed at which an optical drive moves data from an optical disk to an application. Measured in megabytes per second (Mbps)

Dual-Head Drives – Drives that can read and write to either side of an optical disk without flipping and re-inserting it. Dual-head drives are exclusive to 12-inch optical drives.

Dual Picker – An enhanced version of a media picker that carries two optical disks at the same time. A dual picker cuts disk exchange time in half by inserting the requested disk into an available drive first and then putting the second disk back into its storage slot.

Export – To remove an optical disk from an optical jukebox

HSM – Hierarchical Storage Manager. A jukebox manager that automatically and transparently moves data from a hard disk to an optical jukebox based on rules such as file age and file size.

Import – To insert an optical disk into an optical jukebox
Import/Export Element – See Mailslot.

Inventory – The catalogue of media stored within an optical jukebox.

Jukebox Manager – A software program that manages read and write requests to optical disks stored in an optical jukebox.

Magneto-Optical (M-O) - A type of optical disk that uses magnetic (magneto) and laser (optical) technologies to write and read data to and from the disk.

Mail Slot – A slot on the front or top of an optical jukebox through which media is inserted into and removed from the jukebox.

Media Exchange Time – The time it takes to move an optical disk from a drive to a slot and another optical disk from a slot to the same drive.

Media Transport Element (MTE) – See Picker.

Multi-Function Drive – An optical disk drive that reads and writes to WORM and rewritable media.

Optical Jukebox - An automated storage device that holds many optical disks with a small number of optical read/write drives used to archive and store massive amounts of data. A robotic arm moves optical disks from storage slots to the drives. Also referred to as an optical library.

Phase-Change – A recording process that uses laser light to convert points on an optical disk from an amorphous state to a crystalline state.

Picker – The robotic component of an optical jukebox that moves optical disks to and from storage slots and optical drives. Also referred to as a media picker.

Shelf – See Slot.

Single-Head Drives – Drives that can only read or write to one media surface at a time. The disk must be flipped and re-inserted into the drive in order to read or write to the other side. 5 ¼” drives are single-headed.

Slot – An area inside an optical jukebox where optical disks are stored. A jukebox can store as few as 20 optical disks or as many as 638, depending on the manufacturer and model number of the jukebox.

Time to Deliver Data (TDD) – The total time it takes to deliver requested data back to an application. This includes the time it takes for the picker to fetch an optical disk, move it to and insert it into an optical drive, spin up the drive, locate the requested data, and transfer it back to the application. Measured in seconds.

WORM – Write Once Read Many. A type of optical media that allows data to be written only once. Files cannot be overwritten. Commonly used in regulated industries requiring permanent file archives. Some regulatory agencies include the Securities Exchange Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Food and Drug Administration.