A few weeks ago we reported that Sony had discontinued their line of AIT storage products. We have been using and recommending AIT and our Digital Archive Unit to our cable, education and healthcare customers since it was introduced over 10 years ago but now must consider other options to replace this format as a digital video archive solution.
You can still use AIT for ongoing archive operations but migration to another format is critical for the long-term. Failure to think about your next move will likely result in the loss of some or all of your archived video because of data rot. Data rot occurs when you are no longer able to access your archived content because the data is no longer accessible due to age (disintegration) or the hardware necessary to access the data is no longer available thus making your data shipwrecked and never to be seen again.
The archive industry is famous for leaving dead formats all over the landscape. It does not matter if you are Fortune 100 or a small business with less than 10 employees. When you adopt an archive format at some point down the road you will be forced to move on to something else because either the technology will change or the manufacturer will go in a different direction.
We will explore several archiving options over the next few weeks and examine the pro’s and con’s of each. It is important to back-up your files on your video server regardless of whether it is used for broadcast automation, video on demand or streaming video. Today’s question is…should we archive our video content to DVD?
As background, when CD’s were first introduced many saw this as an opportunity to migrate toward a tapeless back-up solution. As soon as recordable CD’s were available early adapters began to back-up audio and data files. But CD’s had a problem…small capacity…they just could not hold much information so video was very difficult to back-up.
When DVD came on the scene with a much larger capacity it seemed clear that this was a better option. One specific format, DVD-RAM, was even created as an archive format because it was dual-sided which doubled the disc’s capacity.
On the consumer side Sony and other manufacturers initially claimed that data recorded on DVD’s would last for 100 years. Alas, this proved to be overly optimistic as we saw discs begin to show signs of flaking after only two years. Once a disc begins to flake the data is no longer accessible.
There are several reasons for this breakdown:
- DVD’s you burn are not “mastered and pressed” so the recording process is much different and less permanent than that used to record and duplicate a movie you might purchase. The movie business spends millions on the technology and creates digital masters in “clean rooms” that result in a cost effective way to duplicate millions of copies by pressing them rather than recording them. You and I can’t do this so we rely on the DVD drive that came with our computer and it’s just not the same.
- Quality varies when it comes to recordable DVD discs. Not all DVD-R’s are created equal and that goes for the drives as well. If you go with a bargain basement drive or disc you are likely to have more problems that if you stick with a quality manufacturer.
- Environment matters. How you store and handle your DVD’s will impact how long they will last.
So, does it make sense to use DVD as an archive solution? I think the answer is no because of the lack of any real-world example of disc longevity and the disc’s fragile nature. Can you use DVD as an archive? Yes you can but do so with an understanding that the DVD is not a permanent solution and some of your content will become unusable over time.
Here are some tips on safe handling:
- Handle DVD’s from the outer edges or the center hole only.
- Keep them free from dust and dirt.
- Keep the DVD in the package until you need the disc for recording.
- Check the disc carefully before you record.
- After recording store discs upright in a jewel case.
- Store them in a cool, dry, dark environment with 20% – 50% relative humidity.
- Clean discs with distilled water and a clean cotton cloth. Wipe in a straight line from the center out to the edges.
Here are some things to avoid:
- Touching the disc surface.
- Scratching the disc surface.
- Bending the disc.
- Storing horizontally for a prolonged period of time (years).
- Extreme heat or humidity.
- Extreme changes in temperature or humidity.
- Prolonged exposure to sunlight or UV light.
- Cleaning in a circular motion.
How can you make sure your DVD’s will be safe? The short answer is you can’t but if you decide to use DVD as a format for archiving your video files here are some ideas to help protect them:
- Follow the Do’s and Don’ts listed above.
- Be mindful of the storage environment and stay within the recommendations.
- Inspect your DVD’s from time to time for signs of flaking.
- Check the data every six months or so by inserting a disc into a drive to make sure the drive can still read the information.
What about Blu-Ray? We will address this format in a separate post.
For more information on storage and how to protect your video assets please download our free e-paper: A Guide to Video Storage.
