20.01.2015 Views

managing electronic records in governmental bodies - National ...

managing electronic records in governmental bodies - National ...

managing electronic records in governmental bodies - National ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

66<br />

ANNEXURE F: Handl<strong>in</strong>g magnetic media<br />

1. Types of magnetic media<br />

The term ‘magnetic media’ is used to describe any record format where <strong>in</strong>formation<br />

is recorded and retrieved <strong>in</strong> the form of a magnetic signal.<br />

The common types of magnetic media are:<br />

• magnetic tape, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g audio cassettes and reel-to-reel tapes,<br />

videotapes, computer tapes both on open reels and <strong>in</strong> cassettes, and<br />

tapes used <strong>in</strong> digital record<strong>in</strong>g processes such as DAT<br />

• magnetic hard disks<br />

• RAID's (i.e Redundant arrays of <strong>in</strong>dependent hard disks)<br />

• magnetic floppy disks or diskettes.<br />

2. Composition of magnetic media<br />

A magnetic tape consists of a carrier of plastic film coated with a matrix conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

magnetisable particles. By weight, the matrix conta<strong>in</strong>s about 70-80% magnetic<br />

particles, with the rest of the layer consist<strong>in</strong>g of a plastic or res<strong>in</strong> b<strong>in</strong>der, and other<br />

<strong>in</strong>gredients such as lubricants and fungicides. Sometimes the tape is coated on the<br />

reverse side with an anti-static material to reduce the build-up of static charges and<br />

to improve the w<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g capability of the tape.<br />

Magnetic hard disks have a metallic base, usually alum<strong>in</strong>ium. The base is coated on<br />

both sides with a matrix similar to that on magnetic tape.<br />

Disk packs, which have a wide application <strong>in</strong> comput<strong>in</strong>g, consist of a number of hard<br />

disks stacked together around a central sp<strong>in</strong>dle. They require a special record<strong>in</strong>g<br />

and playback system with many pairs of read/write heads.<br />

RAID's are a group of loosely assembled hard disks. They are connected to one<br />

controller board, which controls them as if they were a set of platters from one disk.<br />

To improve data reliability, the same data exist <strong>in</strong> more than one place on the disk. If<br />

one of the disks goes down, it will thus be possible to retrieve the data from another<br />

disk <strong>in</strong> the RAID.<br />

Floppy disks and diskettes consist of a plastic base, with a magnetic matrix, on one<br />

or both sides. They are enclosed <strong>in</strong> a rigid, plastic protective jacket that does not<br />

easily flex or bend. There is a slot <strong>in</strong> the jacket through which the read and write<br />

head has contact with the disk.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!