Patent ID: 7007193
Filing Date: 2006-02-28
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In a magnetic tape having data blocks and a parity block in which the data blocks and the parity block are serially arranged on a track of the magnetic tape with the parity block following the data blocks and the parity block being based on the data blocks, a method for providing the data blocks from the track of the magnetic tape to a host, the method comprising: reading the data blocks sequentially from the track of the magnetic tape; determining if the data block currently being read is good or bad based on the reading of the data block currently being read; providing the data block currently being read to the host if the currently being read data block does not follow a bad data block; if one of the data blocks is bad, storing the good data blocks following the bad data block in sequential order; accumulating parity of the good data blocks as the data blocks are being read; reading the parity block from the track of the magnetic tape after all of the data blocks have been read; if one of the data blocks is bad, reconstructing the bad data block from the accumulated parity of the data blocks and the parity block in order to form a reconstructed good data block; providing the reconstructed good data block to the host; and providing the stored good data blocks to the host in sequential order after the reconstructed good data block has been provided to the host.