Seagate ST19171WC Product Manual - Page 23

Barracuda 9 Product Manual, Rev. C

Page 23 highlights

Barracuda 9 Product Manual, Rev. C 13 replaces data already in some buffer segment(s), the host can limit the amount of prefetch data to optimize system performance. The max prefetch field (bytes 8 and 9) limits the amount of prefetch. The drive does not use the prefetch "ceiling" field (bytes 10 and 11). During a prefetch operation, the drive crosses a cylinder boundary to fetch more data only if the Discontinuity (DISC) bit is set to one in bit 4 of byte 2 of Mode parameters page 08h. Whenever prefetch (read look-ahead) is enabled (enabled by DRA = 0), it operates under the control of ARLA (Adaptive Read Look-Ahead). If the host uses software interleave, ARLA enables prefetch of contiguous blocks from the disk when it senses that a prefetch "hit" will likely occur, even if two consecutive read operations were not for physically contiguous blocks of data (e.g. "software interleave"). ARLA disables prefetch when it decides that a prefetch "hit" will not likely occur. If the host is not using software interleave, and if two sequential read operations are not for contiguous blocks of data, ARLA disables prefetch, but as long as sequential read operations request contiguous blocks of data, ARLA keeps prefetch enabled.

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Barracuda 9 Product Manual, Rev. C
13
replaces data already in some buffer segment(s), the host can limit the amount of prefetch data to optimize
system performance. The max prefetch field (bytes 8 and 9) limits the amount of prefetch. The drive does not
use the prefetch “ceiling” field (bytes 10 and 11).
During a prefetch operation, the drive crosses a cylinder boundary to fetch more data only if the Discontinuity
(DISC) bit is set to one in bit 4 of byte 2 of Mode parameters page 08h.
Whenever prefetch (read look-ahead) is enabled (enabled by DRA = 0), it operates under the control of ARLA
(Adaptive Read Look-Ahead). If the host uses software interleave, ARLA enables prefetch of contiguous
blocks from the disk when it senses that a prefetch “hit” will likely occur, even if two consecutive read opera-
tions were not for physically contiguous blocks of data (e.g. “software interleave”). ARLA disables prefetch
when it decides that a prefetch “hit” will not likely occur. If the host is not using software interleave, and if two
sequential read operations are not for contiguous blocks of data, ARLA disables prefetch, but as long as
sequential read operations request contiguous blocks of data, ARLA keeps prefetch enabled.