Backup is a word that has become synonymous with online solutions. Having a physical copy of your data in the form of optical media is a wise decision: it DE-centralizes the data and means that access to it is not dependent on your computer, it removes dependence on third-party backup services, and it establishes a means by which data can be independently transferred to a third party.
The challenges that go along with choosing optical media to store data come down to two main issues: 1) Data storage needs have mushroomed in size; media needs to have sufficient storage capacity to be practical. 2) Media needs to be sufficiently robust to safely store data over the time period when it will be accessed. The choices of optical media for digital archiving currently come down to three types including CD-R, DVD-R, and Blue Ray.
CD-R - Most CD-Rs allow you to store up to 700mb of data. The specifications for CD-R disks came out in 1988, but the price of recorders exceeded $1000 until 1995 (when the 4020i by Philips came out). Today, almost every computer comes with a built-in CD-R recorder. Based on research by J Perdereau, the average longevity of CD-R disks is about 10 years, putting to rest fears about data degrading.
It's important to remember that problems with optical media are usually caused by issues related to burning the data onto the disk. As soon as you burn data onto an optical media disk, check to make sure the data has copied correctly.
Most cases of CD-R data degradation are the result of dyes and the disk's reflective surface. Improvements have been made with regard to reflective surfaces and dyes, but double-check the manufacturer's statements regarding longevity. If you need long-term digital storage, consider disks with a gold-based reflective surface. They'll be a better choice because they won't oxidize like disks with a silver-based reflective surface.
DVD-R - Most DVD-R disks are capable of storing up to 4.7GBs, but the double-layer, double-sided variety can handle up to 17.08GB of data. Although quality has a tremendous effect on disk lifespan, testing indicates that DVD-Rs will last between 2 and 15 years. The variability in DVD-R archival lifespan is greater than what is seen with CD-R disks, according to tests runs by NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology). A CD-R is probably a better choice for backing up your data unless you need the larger storage capacity of a DVD-R.
Blu-Ray - A normal single layer Blu-Ray Disc holds 25GB of data, while a double-sided one holds 50GB. Commercially Blu-Ray has not caught on as much as was earlier predicted, largely due to the quick growth of broadband speeds and the rise of online streaming in the United States. But as an archival format it offers the greatest capacity of any of the current mainstream optical media solutions. In one French Study into its longevity it was concluded that Blu-Ray (HTL) discs produced by Panasonic and Sony offered the greatest reliability for archiving, and that Blu-Ray (LTH) discs should be avoided for this purpose.
Each of the different storage solutions offers a cheap and easy way of backing up your data. They allow you to have your data in a properly portable format and release you from total dependence on external services. However, while you should have a backup copy of your data in a physical archival format such as the three I have described, it should not be your only backup due to uncertainties about long-term data storage. So you would also be wise to additionally have an online digital backup in place as well.
The challenges that go along with choosing optical media to store data come down to two main issues: 1) Data storage needs have mushroomed in size; media needs to have sufficient storage capacity to be practical. 2) Media needs to be sufficiently robust to safely store data over the time period when it will be accessed. The choices of optical media for digital archiving currently come down to three types including CD-R, DVD-R, and Blue Ray.
CD-R - Most CD-Rs allow you to store up to 700mb of data. The specifications for CD-R disks came out in 1988, but the price of recorders exceeded $1000 until 1995 (when the 4020i by Philips came out). Today, almost every computer comes with a built-in CD-R recorder. Based on research by J Perdereau, the average longevity of CD-R disks is about 10 years, putting to rest fears about data degrading.
It's important to remember that problems with optical media are usually caused by issues related to burning the data onto the disk. As soon as you burn data onto an optical media disk, check to make sure the data has copied correctly.
Most cases of CD-R data degradation are the result of dyes and the disk's reflective surface. Improvements have been made with regard to reflective surfaces and dyes, but double-check the manufacturer's statements regarding longevity. If you need long-term digital storage, consider disks with a gold-based reflective surface. They'll be a better choice because they won't oxidize like disks with a silver-based reflective surface.
DVD-R - Most DVD-R disks are capable of storing up to 4.7GBs, but the double-layer, double-sided variety can handle up to 17.08GB of data. Although quality has a tremendous effect on disk lifespan, testing indicates that DVD-Rs will last between 2 and 15 years. The variability in DVD-R archival lifespan is greater than what is seen with CD-R disks, according to tests runs by NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology). A CD-R is probably a better choice for backing up your data unless you need the larger storage capacity of a DVD-R.
Blu-Ray - A normal single layer Blu-Ray Disc holds 25GB of data, while a double-sided one holds 50GB. Commercially Blu-Ray has not caught on as much as was earlier predicted, largely due to the quick growth of broadband speeds and the rise of online streaming in the United States. But as an archival format it offers the greatest capacity of any of the current mainstream optical media solutions. In one French Study into its longevity it was concluded that Blu-Ray (HTL) discs produced by Panasonic and Sony offered the greatest reliability for archiving, and that Blu-Ray (LTH) discs should be avoided for this purpose.
Each of the different storage solutions offers a cheap and easy way of backing up your data. They allow you to have your data in a properly portable format and release you from total dependence on external services. However, while you should have a backup copy of your data in a physical archival format such as the three I have described, it should not be your only backup due to uncertainties about long-term data storage. So you would also be wise to additionally have an online digital backup in place as well.
About the Author:
John Franks at CD Aces contributed information on businesses recording on CD. See CD Aces for more information. CD Aces has been in the CD and DVD business for over 15 years working with blank media, duplication, and replication.
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