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Computer Peripheral Memory System Forecast

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OF NBS H^^LK,!,, STAND S. TECH PUBLICATIONS | COMPUTER SUici^CZ^i TECHNOLOGY: COMPUTER PERIPHERAL MEMORY SYSTEM FORECAST QC 100 U57 NBS Special Publication 500-45 #500-45 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 1979 National Bureau of Standards NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS The National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901 . The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research and provides: (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measurement system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau's technical work is performed by the National Measurement Laboratory, the National Engineering Laboratory, and the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology. THE NATIONAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY provides the national system of physical and chemical and materials measurement; coordinates the system with measurement systems of other nations and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical and chemical measurement throughout the Nation's scientific community, industry, and commerce; conducts materials research leading to improved methods of measurement, standards, and data on the properties of materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and Government; provides advisory and research services to other Government Agencies; develops, produces, and distributes Standard Reference Materials; and provides calibration services. The Laboratory consists of the following centers: Absolute Physical Quantities^ — Radiation Research — Thermodynamics and Molecular Science — Analytical Chemistry — Materials Science. THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY provides technology and technical services to users in the public and private sectors to address national needs and to solve national problems in the public interest; conducts research in engineering and applied science in support of objectives in these efforts; builds and maintains competence in the necessary disciplines required to carry out this research and technical service; develops engineering data and measurement capabilities; provides engineering measurement traceabihty services; develops test methods and proposes engineering standards and code changes; develops and proposes new engineering practices; and develops and improves mechanisms to transfer results of its research to the utlimate user. The Laboratory consists of the following centers: Applied Mathematics — Electronics and Electrical Engineering- — Mechanical Engineering and Process Technology^ — Building Technology — Fire Research — Consumer Product Technology — Field Methods. THE INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts research and provides scientific and technical services to aid Federal Agencies in the selection, acquisition, application, and use of computer technology to improve effectiveness and economy in Government operations in accordance with Public Law 89-306 (40 U.S.C. 759), relevant Executive Orders, and other directives; carries out this mission by managing the Federal Information Processing Standards Program, developing Federal ADP standards guidelines, and managing Federal participation in ADP voluntary standardization activities; provides scientific and technological advisory services and assistance to Federal Agencies; and provides the technical foundation for computer-related policies of the Federal Government. The Institute consists of the following divisions: Systems and Software — Computer Systems Engineering — Information Technology. 'Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washington, D.C. 20234. ^Some divisions within the center are located at Boulder, Colorado, 80303. The National Bureau of Standards was reorganized, effective April 9, 1978. NBS RESEARCH INFORMATION 'TER COMPUTER SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Computer Peripheral Memory System Forecast Robert B. J. Warnar, Peter J. Calomeris, and Steve A. Recicar Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology National Bureau of Standards Washington, DC 20234 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary Jordan J. Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler, Director Issued April 1979 Reports on Computer Science and Technology The National Bureau of Standards has a special responsibility within the Federal Government for computer science and technology activities. The programs of the NBS Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology are designed to provide ADP standards, guidelines, and technical advisory services to improve the effectiveness of computer utilization in the Federal sector, and to perform appropriate research and development efforts as foundation for such activities and programs. This publication series v^'ill report these NBS efforts to the Federal computer community as well as to interested specialists in the academic and private sectors. Those wishing to receive notices of publications in this series should complete and return the form at the end of this publication. National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 500-45 Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 500-45, 147 pages (Apr. 1979) CODEN: XNBSAV Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 79-600036 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1979 20402 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Stock No. 003-003-02039-7 Price $3.25 (Add 25 percent additional for other than U.S. mailing) NOTE Reports on conmercial developments included in this publication were obtained from the open literature, supplemented in most cases by site visits and meetings with appropriate company representatives. No pro- prietary information of any kind is included. Opinions about compara- tive merits of the developments were found in the published literature, and were not generated by the authors of this report. Inclusions or exclusions of specific developments are strictly reflections of the published literature. NBS did not experimentally verify the accuracy of the statements from the published literature or any of the companies cited. Specific references to companies and developments in this report cannot be construed as recommendation or endorsement by the National Bureau of Standards. iii PREFACE The Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology (ICST), Na- tional Bureau of Standards (NBS), develops and recommends Federal Information Processing Standards; provides advisory and consulta- tive services to other agencies of Government to support the for- mulation of ADP management and procurement policies and to assist in solving specific computer application problems; and conducts research and provides technical services designed to aid Govern- ment agencies in improving cost effectiveness in the selection, acquisition, and utilization of automatic data processing equip- ment. In the course of discharging these responsibilities, ICST staff members prepare technical reports , technology assessments, and summaries or proceedings of conferences and symposia which the Institute sponsors and conducts. Resulting publications may appear in NBS publications media, in professional or technical journals, or as separate volumes such as proceedings or mono- graphs . This forecast of computer peripheral memory systems was prepared as a preliminary input for the identification of areas for possi- ble future standards development. Conclusions drawn from current trends in these technologies, such as are reflected in this re- port, will be a basis for standards development. Also , this forecast was prepared as a service to Federal computer managers who are active in the ADP management field. In order to improve the utility of this information, this publication has in- corporated a section with decision trees which are intended to perform as aids in the purchasing phase of computer peripheral memory equipment. The information offered by the decision trees, technical parameter tables, market trend graphs, and associated text is made available to keep the Federal ADP manager current with changes in contemporary developments and the emerging of equipments in computer peripheral memory systems. The Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology, National Bureau of Standards, acknowledges its appreciation to all the participants in this technological forecast. Many individuals and companies have contributed information, ideas, constructive cri- ticisms and their talents , all of which were indispensible for the completion of this document. The authors would like to mention the invaluable contribution made by the numerous manufacturers in the generation, assembly and review of the Computer Peripheral Memory Forecast. We would like to provide special credit to Barbara Moran and Walter Lee for compiling the data for our document, to Dennis Donovan for preparing our figures, to Jaqueline Jones for assistance in the off-line data search, and to Barbara Peterson, Joan Knoerdel , and Terri L. Rau for inputting and editing the report using an on-line text editing system. iv CONTENTS Page Note iii Preface iv Table of Contents v List of Tables ix List of Figures x Abstract 1 I. Introduction to Computer Peripheral Memory Systems 1 A. Categories 1 1. Rotating cylinder or disk memory systems 1 a. Drums 2 b. Disks 2 (1) Moving-head
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