This course gives students a comprehensive understanding of data storage systems through lecture and simulation exercises. Over the course of the semester, students will work in teams to build a computer simulation of an entire disk drive recording channel, and observe the different forms that the stored information takes on its passage through a non-volatile storage system. As many realistic aspects of the storage system will be incorporated in the simulation as possible, including magnetic media hysteresis, magnetic and electronic noise, magnetoresistive readback sensors, and various methods of data detection. The class will culminate with demonstrations by each group of their models, and the effect the changes in recording parameters have on data integrity. Currently the SIMULINK package is used with Matlab to construct the simulation, and students are provided with a 3 hr. recitation period each week during which they can work on their simulation under the supervision of the course instructors. 3 hrs. lecture, 3 hrs. rec.
