Proceedings of the NSSDC Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies for Space and Earth Science Applications

The proceedings of the National Space Science Data Center Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies for Space and Earth Science Applications held July 23 through 25, 1991 at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center are presented. The program includes a keynote address, invited technical papers, and selected technical presentations to provide a broad forum for the discussion of a number of important issues in the field of mass storage systems. Topics include magnetic disk and tape technologies, optical disk and tape, software storage and file management systems, and experiences with the use of a large, distributed storage system. The technical presentations describe integrated mass storage systems that are expected to be available commercially. Also included is a series of presentations from Federal Government organizations and research institutions covering their mass storage requirements for the 1990's

NSSDC Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies for Space and Earth Science Applications, volume 1

Papers and viewgraphs from the conference are presented. This conference served as a broad forum for the discussion of a number of important issues in the field of mass storage systems. Topics include magnetic disk and tape technologies, optical disks and tape, software storage and file management systems, and experiences with the use of a large, distributed storage system. The technical presentations describe, among other things, integrated mass storage systems that are expected to be available commercially. Also included is a series of presentations from Federal Government organizations and research institutions covering their mass storage requirements for the 1990's

NSSDC Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies for Space and Earth Science Applications, volume 2

This report contains copies of nearly all of the technical papers and viewgraphs presented at the NSSDC Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies for Space and Earth Science Application. This conference served as a broad forum for the discussion of a number of important issues in the field of mass storage systems. Topics include the following: magnetic disk and tape technologies; optical disk and tape; software storage and file management systems; and experiences with the use of a large, distributed storage system. The technical presentations describe, among other things, integrated mass storage systems that are expected to be available commercially. Also included is a series of presentations from Federal Government organizations and research institutions covering their mass storage requirements for the 1990's

Robo-line storage: Low latency, high capacity storage systems over geographically distributed networks

Rapid advances in high performance computing are making possible more complete and accurate computer-based modeling of complex physical phenomena, such as weather front interactions, dynamics of chemical reactions, numerical aerodynamic analysis of airframes, and ocean-land-atmosphere interactions. Many of these 'grand challenge' applications are as demanding of the underlying storage system, in terms of their capacity and bandwidth requirements, as they are on the computational power of the processor. A global view of the Earth's ocean chlorophyll and land vegetation requires over 2 terabytes of raw satellite image data. In this paper, we describe our planned research program in high capacity, high bandwidth storage systems. The project has four overall goals. First, we will examine new methods for high capacity storage systems, made possible by low cost, small form factor magnetic and optical tape systems. Second, access to the storage system will be low latency and high bandwidth. To achieve this, we must interleave data transfer at all levels of the storage system, including devices, controllers, servers, and communications links. Latency will be reduced by extensive caching throughout the storage hierarchy. Third, we will provide effective management of a storage hierarchy, extending the techniques already developed for the Log Structured File System. Finally, we will construct a protototype high capacity file server, suitable for use on the National Research and Education Network (NREN). Such research must be a Cornerstone of any coherent program in high performance computing and communications

Towards Tamper-Evident Storage on Patterned Media

We propose a tamper-evident storage system based on probe storage with a patterned magnetic medium. This medium supports normal read/write operations by out-of-plane magnetisation of individual magnetic dots. We report on measurements showing that in principle the medium also supports a separate class of write-once operation that destroys the out-of-plane magnetisation property of the dots irreversibly by precise local heating. We discuss the main issues of designing a tamper-evident storage device and file system using the properties of the medium

The long hold: Storing data at the National Archives

The National Archives is, in many respects, in a unique position. For example, I find people from other organizations describing an archival medium as one which will last for three to five years. At the National Archives, we deal with the centuries, not years. From our perspective, there is no archival medium for data storage, and we do not expect there will ever be one. Predicting the long-term future of information technology beyond a mere five or ten years approaches the occult arts. But one prediction is probably safe. It is that the technology will continue to change, at least until analysts start talking about the post-information age. If we did have a medium which lasted a hundred years or longer, we probably would not have a device capable of reading it. The issue of obsolescence, as opposed to media stability, is more complex and more costly. It is especially complex at the National Archives because of two other aspects of our peculiar position. The first aspect is that we deal with incoherent data. The second is that we are charged with satisfying unknown and unknowable requirements. A brief overview of these aspects is presented

The UARS and open data concept and analysis study

Alternative concepts for a common design for the UARS and OPEN Central Data Handling Facility (CDHF) are offered. Costs for alternative implementations of the UARS designs are presented, showing that the system design does not restrict the implementation to a single manufacturer. Processing demands on the alternative UARS CDHF implementations are then discussed. With this information at hand together with estimates for OPEN processing demands, it is shown that any shortfall in system capability for OPEN support can be remedied by either component upgrades or array processing attachments rather than a system redesign. In addition to a common system design, it is shown that there is significant potential for common software design, especially in the areas of data management software and non-user-unique production software. Archiving the CDHF data are discussed. Following that, cost examples for several modes of communications between the CDHF and Remote User Facilities are presented. Technology application is discussed

Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) trade analysis

The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) which will collect data pertinent to the Earth's upper atmosphere is described. The collected data will be sent to the central data handling facility (CDHF) via the UARS ground system and the data will be processed and distributed to the remote analysis computer systems (RACS). An overview of the UARS ground system is presented. Three configurations were developed for the CDHF-RACS system. The CDHF configurations are discussed. The IBM CDHF configuration, the UNIVAC CDHF configuration and the vax cluster CDHF configuration are presented. The RACS configurations, the IBM RACS configurations, UNIVAC RACS and VAX RACS are detailed. Due to the large on-line data estimate to approximately 100 GB, a mass storage system is considered essential to the UARS CDHF. Mass storage systems were analyzed and the Braegan ATL, the RCA optical disk, the IBM 3850 and the MASSTOR M860 are discussed. It is determined that the type of mass storage system most suitable to UARS is the automated tape/cartridge device. Two devices of this type, the IBM 3850 and the MASSTOR MSS are analyzed and the applicable tape/cartridge device is incorporated into the three CDHF-RACS configurations

Rewriteable optical disk recorder development

A NASA program to develop a high performance (high rate, high capability) rewriteable optical disk recorder for spaceflight applications is presented. An expandable, adaptable system concept is proposed based on disk Drive modules and a modular Controller. Drive performance goals are 10 gigabyte capacity are up to 1.8 gigabits per second rate with concurrent I/O, synchronous data transfer, and 2 to 5 years operating life in orbit. Technology developments, design concepts, current status, and future plans are presented

Electron trapping optical data storage system and applications

A new technology developed at Optex Corporation out-performs all other existing data storage technologies. The Electron Trapping Optical Memory (ETOM) media stores 14 gigabytes of uncompressed data on a single, double-sided 130 mm disk with a data transfer rate of up to 120 megabits per second. The disk is removable, compact, lightweight, environmentally stable, and robust. Since the Write/Read/Erase (W/R/E) processes are carried out photonically, no heating of the recording media is required. Therefore, the storage media suffers no deleterious effects from repeated W/R/E cycling. This rewritable data storage technology has been developed for use as a basis for numerous data storage products. Industries that can benefit from the ETOM data storage technologies include: satellite data and information systems, broadcasting, video distribution, image processing and enhancement, and telecommunications. Products developed for these industries are well suited for the demanding store-and-forward buffer systems, data storage, and digital video systems needed for these applications