rotational latency

2 definitions found

rotational latency - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  rotational latency
      n 1: (computer science) the time it takes for a specific block
           of data on a data track to rotate around to the read/write
           head [syn: rotational latency, latency]

rotational latency - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  rotational latency
  
     The time for the start of the required sector on a disk to
     appear underneath the read/write head.  The worst case is
     where it has just passed the head when the request is
     received.  For a disk drive with N heads per surface,
     rotating at R revolutions per minute, the average rotational
     latency will be
  
     	L = 30/NR seconds.
  
     Rotational latency is one component of access time.