Exabyte helical scan devices at Fermilab

Author

Constanta-Fanourakis, Penelope ; Kaczar, Ken ; Oleynik, Gene ; Petravick, Don ; Votava, Margaret ; White, Vicky ; Hockney, George ; Bracker, Steve ; de Miranda, Jussara M.

Author_Institution

Fermi Nat. Accel. Lab., Batavia, IL, USA

Volume

36

Issue

5

fYear

1989

fDate

10/1/1989 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1696

Lastpage

1700

Abstract

The Exabyte 8-mm helical-scan storage devices in use at Fermilab in a number of applications are described. These devices have the functionality of magnetic tape but use media that are much more economical and much more dense than conventional 9-track tape. The discussion covers: uses for helical scan tape systems; the initial evaluation of Exabytes; their use in the Fermilab lattice supercomputer project; their use in a VME-based data acquisition system; the problems observed in a VME environment; their use as general-purpose tape drives for VAX/VMS; a copy facility for converting 9-track tapes to 8-mm cartridges and replicating 8-mm tapes for distribution to dispersed experiment collaborators; problems observed under VMS; and diagnostics implemented to reproduce and understand the problems remaining with these devices

Keywords

DEC computers; data acquisition; magnetic tape storage; physics computing; 8 mm; Exabyte helical scan devices; Fermilab; Fermilab lattice supercomputer project; VAX/VMS; VME-based data acquisition system; copy facility; diagnostics; evaluation; general-purpose tape drives; helical scan tape systems; Costs; Data acquisition; Delay effects; Laboratories; Lattices; Magnetic devices; Physics; Space technology; Testing; Writing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/23.41131

Filename

41131