rotational latency

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. (computer science) the time it takes for a specific block of data on a data track to rotate around to the read/write headSynonyms: rotational latencylatency
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Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

rotational latency

<storage, hardware> The time for the start of the required sector on a disk to appear underneath the read/write head. The worst case is where it has just passed the head when the request is received. For a disk drive with N heads per surface, rotating at R revolutions per minute, the average rotational latency will be

L = 30/NR seconds.

Rotational latency is one component of access time.

(2009-11-06)

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