System for controlling host access to a storage device based on physical characteristics of the storage device

摘要

An information recording/reproducing system in which a host system making access to a magnetic disk apparatus can be limited to a specific one. A magnetic disk apparatus includes an authentication key generating block for generating an authentication key on the basis of physical characteristic(s) of the magnetic disk apparatus itself. The magnetic disk apparatus and the host system have, respectively, authentication key recording block for recording the authentication key and authentication data generating block for generating authentication data on the basis of the authentication key. Access from the host system to information of the magnetic disk apparatus is controlled based on the authentication data of the host system and the authentication data of the magnetic disk apparatus.