Analysis of Scanning Policies for Reducing Disk Seek Times
E. G. Coffman, Lawrence A. Klimko, Barbara F. Ryan · SIAM Journal on Computing · 1972
A number of recent studies have examined techniques for sequencing disk accesses to minimize or reduce seek times. The principal methods proposed have been called scanning policies. In this paper we formulate and analyze simple mathematical models of head motion in disk systems in which two different scanning policies are implemented. Expressions for response times are derived, and the properties they imply are discussed.