Physical devices

The following types of physical mass storage devices are supported.

hard disk devices

Most system software and user files are stored on hard disk. Hard disks are high-speed, high-capacity storage devices, and are available in a variety of types (IDE, ESDI, MFM, SCSI) and sizes. You can usually add new hard disks to satisfy growing storage needs on your system Most hard drives are fixed, but some are removable.

tape devices

Because tapes have a high storage capacity and are portable, they provide an efficient way of storing and transferring data. Tape drives are used primarily for filesystem backups and restoring filesystems or individual files. Your computer may be equipped with cartridge, 9-track, digital audio tape (DAT), 8-millimeter, or another type of tape drive. The tapecntl(1) command provides an interface to various media and drive control operations.

CD-ROM devices

CD-ROM devices are optical-based, read-only media used for permanently storing information. They are useful for accessing large volumes of information.

Medium Changer devices

Medium changer devices are robotic mechanisms that automate the movement of storage media (tapes, CD-ROMs, optical) between storage locations and physical read/write drives. The mccntl(1M) command provides an interface to control medium changer devices.