Elevator algorithm (SCAN)

The Elevator algorithm (SCAN) is a method for efficiently managing how a computer's disk reads and writes data. Imagine a person in an elevator moving up and down a building, stopping at floors where they need to pick up or drop off passengers. Similarly, the disk's read/write head moves smoothly across the disk surface in one direction, servicing requests along the way, then reverses direction once it reaches an end, minimizing unnecessary movement. This approach reduces wait times and improves overall disk performance by organizing the sequence of data requests in a way that avoids unnecessary back-and-forth motion.