[dba-Tech] Performance in disc partitions

IIRC, the disk controller speeds up the writes as the tracks move outwards
towards the edge of the platter.  IOW there is more surface area on the
outer tracks so they just bump up the waveform to allow more data to be
written in that larger surface area.  When thought of from that perspective,
the outer tracks hold more data / track and so may require less head
movement. I have no idea whether the first volume is on the inner tracks or
the outer tracks.


John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
www.ColbyConsulting.com 
-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of DJK(John)
Robinson
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 7:47 PM
To: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues'
Subject: [dba-Tech] Performance in disc partitions

I am about to partition a new disc.  One partition will be very active in
terms of reads and writes, another almost dormant.

Is there any advantage in performance terms in having the active partition
as the 'first' one on the disc?  Or the last one?

It's a long time since I was involved in disc layout at a low level, and I'm
wondering whether 'cylinders' these days are still all the same size, with
the data near the edge of the platter just more spread out than that near
the spindle - or not?

TIA
John


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