Mass-Storage Management

Usually disks used to store data that does not fit in main memory or data that must be kept for a “long” period of time.

Proper management is of central importance

Entire speed of computer operation hinges on disk subsystem and its algorithms

OS activities

Free-space management

Storage allocation

Disk scheduling

Some storage need not be fast

Tertiary storage includes optical storage, magnetic tape

Still must be managed

Varies between WORM (write-once, read-many-times) and RW (read-write)