Glossary of Samsung Hard Disk Drive (Letter S)

Samsung Hard Disk Drive Glossary SCSI
Small Computer System Interface, device interconnection standard allowing daisy chaining of devices. There are various standards of SCSI: SCSI, SCSI-2, SCSI-3 and SCSI-4

Sector
Smallest grouping of data that can be assigned to store data on the media of an Hard Disk Drive, comprises of 512 bytes (section of a track)

Seek (time)
The movement of a head in search of the right data track

Sequential Access
The reading or writing of data in a sequential order as opposed to random access

Servo data / pattern
Magnetic markings that indicate the position of a head relative to a track (guide for head)

Servo system
a recorded segment of the CD that may contain one or more tracks of any type (data/audio)

Settle Time
The time lapse between arrival of the head at a specific track, and the head to stop fibrating so that a reliable read/write can take place

SFF
Small form factor, a committee consisting of suppliers of IDE hard disk drives, formed to agree technical specifications such as E-IDE

Shock rating
Measurement (Gs) indicating how much shock a disk drive before damage could occur

S.M.A.R.T
Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology, an automatic process which provides an advanced warning of device degradation and/or faults, to help prevent loss of data. Early warning system

Spindle Motor
Motor that rotates the platters

Soft Error
A data error which can be corrected by attempting to re-read the data

SSA
Serial Storage Architecture, an new type of interface, using copper or fibre optic connections. Data travels serially (one bit at the time)

Stepper Motor
predecessor of Rotary Voice Coil Motor, component that controls head movement

Storage Density
recording density (see BPI, TPI, Areal Density)

Substrate
The material underneath the magnetic coating of a disk

Surface
each side of a disk has a surface that is coated with the magnetic material for data storage