Patent ID: 7492542

Claim:
A method of storing and accessing data from a data storage device, said method comprising the steps of: providing a data storage device comprising a first interface associated with a read-write head configured to read data from and write data to said data storage device, said data storage device further having a second interface associated with a read-only head configured to only read data from said data storage device, wherein said first interface comprises a hardware selection switch for configuring a first head assembly carrying said read-write head to read data from and write data to said data storage device, and wherein said second interface comprises a second hardware selection switch for configuring a second head assembly carrying said read-only head to only read data from said data storage device; connecting at least a first computing device to said first interface for exchanging data and transmitting commands to and from said first computing device, wherein said first computing device connected can both read data from and write data to said data storage device; and connecting at least a second computing device to said second interface for accessing data and transmitting commands to and from said at least second computing device, wherein said second computing device connected can only read data from said data storage device.