Simultaneously writing data to two sets of channels in a tape media to increase channel transfer rate

1 . A tape head controller for controlling a tape head to read and write to a tape media, wherein the tape head controller performs operations, the operations comprising:

positioning a tape head module having a first and second sets of read/write elements configured to simultaneously read and write to a first data band and a second data band on the tape media, respectively, wherein the first and the second data bands have wraps identified by wrap numbers, wherein the first and the second sets of read/write elements are configured to simultaneously read or write to a same wrap number in the first and the second data bands, respectively, and wherein the tape head module is positioned to have the first set of read/write elements on a selected wrap number in a first n channels in the first data band in the tape media and the second set of read/write elements on the selected wrap number in a second n channels in the second data band in the tape media; and

controlling the first set and the second set of read/write elements to simultaneously perform read/write operations with respect to the selected wrap number in the first n channels and the second n channels, respectively, wherein a combination of the first n channels and the second n channels is presented as a 2n-channel layout with a plurality of wraps in each of n channels.

2 . The tape head controller of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

controlling the first set of read/write elements to perform read/write operations to designated wrap numbers in the first data band while the second set of read/write elements are deactivated.

3 . The tape head controller of claim 2 , wherein the wraps available for the 2n-channel layout include wraps in the first n channels and the second n channels excluding the designated wrap numbers in the first n channels and the second n channels.

4 . The tape head controller of claim 3 , wherein the designated wrap numbers in the first data band store index partition data, and wherein the wraps available in the 2n-channel layout comprise a data partition.

5 . The tape head controller of claim 3 , wherein the designated wrap numbers comprise wrap numbers (N−1), (N−2), (N−3), and (N−4), where N is a number of wraps in each channel, in a middle of the wraps in the first n channels and the second n channels, wherein the (N−1) and the (N−2) wrap numbers in the first data band store data and the (N−3) and the (N−4) wrap numbers comprise guard wraps to separate the data in the (N−1) and the (N−2) wrap numbers from the wraps available in the 2n-channel layout, and wherein the (N−1), the (N-2), the (N−3), and the (N−4) wrap numbers in the second n channels are available to store data.

6 . The tape head controller of claim 1 , wherein each of the first n channels and the second n channels include N wraps, wherein each Nth wrap number of N number of wraps in the first n channels and the second n channels combined form an Nth wrap number in the 2n-channel layout.

7 . The tape head controller of claim 1 , wherein the selected wrap number comprises a first selected wrap number, wherein the operations further comprise:

controlling the first set and the second set of read/write elements to simultaneously perform read/write operations with respect to a second selected wrap number in a third n channels in a third data band and in fourth n channels in a fourth data band, wherein a combination of the third n channels and the fourth n channels is presented as n channels in the 2n-channel layout.

8 . The tape head controller of claim 7 , wherein each of the first n channels, the second n channels, the third n channels and the fourth n channels include N wraps, wherein each ith wrap number of 0 to N−1 wrap numbers in the first n channels and the second n channels combined form an ith wrap number in n channels of the 2n-channel layout and wherein each jth wrap number of N to 2N−1 wrap numbers in the third n channels and the fourth n channels combined form a form a jth wrap number in n channels of the 2n-channel layout.

9 . A tape drive to read and write to a tape media, comprising:

a tape head module having first and second sets of read/write elements configured to simultaneously read and write to a first data band and a second data band on the tape media, respectively, wherein the first and the second data bands have wraps identified by wrap numbers, wherein the first and the second sets of read/write elements are configured to simultaneously read or write to a same wrap number in the first and the second data bands, respectively; and

a tape controller for controlling the tape head module to read and write to the tape media, wherein the tape controller performs operations, the operations comprising:

positioning the tape head module to have the first set of read/write elements on a selected wrap number in a first n channels in the first data band in the tape media and the second set of read/write elements on the selected wrap number in a second n channels in the second data band in the tape media; and

controlling the first set and the second set of read/write elements to simultaneously perform read/write operations with respect to the selected wrap number in the first n channels and the second n channels, respectively, wherein a combination of the first n channels and the second n channels is presented as a 2n-channel layout with a plurality of wraps in each of n channels.

10 . The tape drive of claim 9 , wherein the tape controller operations further comprise:

controlling the first set of read/write elements to perform read/write operations to designated wrap numbers in the first data band while the second set of read/write elements are deactivated.

11 . The tape drive of claim 10 , wherein the wraps available for the 2n-channel layout include wraps in the first n channels and the second n channels excluding the designated wrap numbers in the first n channels and the second n channels.

12 . The tape drive of claim 11 , wherein the designated wrap numbers in the first data band store index partition data, and wherein the wraps available in the 2n-channel layout comprise a data partition.

13 . The tape drive of claim 9 , wherein each of the first n channels and the second n channels include N wraps, wherein each Nth wrap number of N number of wraps in the first n channels and the second n channels combined form an Nth wrap number in the 2n-channel layout.

14 . The tape drive of claim 9 , wherein the selected wrap number comprises a first selected wrap number, wherein the tape controller operations further comprise:

controlling the first set and the second set of read/write elements to simultaneously perform read/write operations with respect to a second selected wrap number in a third n channels in a third data band and in a fourth n channels in a fourth data band, wherein a combination of the third n channels and the fourth n channels is presented as n channels in the 2n-channel layout.

15 . A method for controlling a tape head to read and write to a tape media, comprising:

positioning a tape head module having a first and second sets of read/write elements configured to simultaneously read and write to a first data band and a second data band on the tape media, respectively, wherein the first and the second data bands have wraps identified by wrap numbers, wherein the first and the second sets of read/write elements are configured to simultaneously read or write to a same wrap number in the first and the second data bands, respectively, and wherein the tape head module is positioned to have the first set of read/write elements on a selected wrap number in a first n channels in the first data band in the tape media and the second set of read/write elements on the selected wrap number in a second n channels in the second data band in the tape media; and

controlling the first set and the second set of read/write elements to simultaneously perform read/write operations with respect to the selected wrap number in the first n channels and the second n channels, respectively, wherein a combination of the first n channels and the second n channels is presented as a 2n-channel layout with a plurality of wraps in each of n channels.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

controlling the first set of read/write elements to perform read/write operations to designated wrap numbers in the first data band while the second set of read/write elements are deactivated.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the wraps available for the 2n-channel layout include wraps in the first n channels and the second n channels excluding the designated wrap numbers in the first n channels and the second n channels.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the designated wrap numbers in the first data band store index partition data, and wherein the wraps available in the 2n-channel layout comprise a data partition.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each of the first n channels and the second n channels include N wraps, wherein each Nth wrap number of N number of wraps in the first n channels and the second n channels combined form an Nth wrap number in the 2n-channel layout.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the selected wrap number comprises a first selected wrap number, wherein the tape controller operations further comprise:

controlling the first set and the second set of read/write elements to simultaneously perform read/write operations with respect to a second selected wrap number in a third n channels in a third data band and in a fourth n channels in a fourth data band, wherein a combination of the third n channels and the fourth n channels is presented as n channels in the 2n-channel layout.