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Permanent File Backup Disc

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(@trewmte)
Posts: 1877
Noble Member
Topic starter
 

Permanent File Backup Disc

Stumbled upon this whilst researching. Millenniata are promoting an M-DISC which they say is the first permanent file backup disc that lasts for ever. From what I read at their website this development was created for anyone who wants to protect their data or, perhaps, the converse of that is avoiding loss of data. The basis to their claim, as I understand it, is "M-DISC cannot be overwritten, erased, or corrupted by natural processes". The M-DISC versions read like a DVD-R and a Blu-ray version is planned. The M-DISC holds 4.7GB.

There are presentation videos

http//millenniata.com/
http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSl0chtzf6U

So examining thousands of discs instead of tens of hard drives is back on the agenda again, or did high volume disc examination never really go away? Whatever. Enjoy!

 
Posted : 17/08/2011 11:48 am
(@mscotgrove)
Posts: 938
Prominent Member
 

The problem with all of these ideas is that the storage media is only part of the story.

You need a reader to read the media. This could be SCSI, USB, Firewire etc. Who says that USB 12.0 in the year 2100 will be USB 3.0 compatible. Who will beable to read JPEG files? Will ISO9600 and UDF still be supported.

Technology moves very quickly. When I started in PCs, the standard was 8" floppies (SS-SD, 240K), CP/M and Wordstar. All good standards of the early 1980s, but very difficult to find equipment to read then today. I also remember a statement of a 10MB drive - oh we will never fill it up (now about 3 photos).

My solution for long term storage is review every few years and migrate to current standards.

 
Posted : 17/08/2011 1:30 pm
(@trewmte)
Posts: 1877
Noble Member
Topic starter
 

I agree with you Michael. Still it is useful though to have your input and reminder of the standards and evolution you have been exposed to over the years and the issues associated with incompatibility.

 
Posted : 17/08/2011 2:12 pm
jaclaz
(@jaclaz)
Posts: 5133
Illustrious Member
 

The actual .pdf of the test (IMHO a little more meaningful that a lousy video wink ) is here
http//millenniata.com/2011/03/02/china-lake-summary-report/
http//millenniata.com/wp-content/uploads/m-disc/mdisc_china_lake_study.pdf

read the license terms BEFORE downloading
http//millenniata.com/terms-of-use/

As always happens with this kind of staff, I am perplexed ? by the actual methodology chosen and by the conclusions, in the sense that the way we know that Roman arches and aqueducts have at least 2,000 years lifespan has traditionally been

  • let the Romans build them
  • wait 2,000 years and see if they are still there

a rather long test but with a surprisingly high accuracy level.
How "extending" a standard arbitrarily and from the result of this unique test draw a "millennial" conclusion - possibly very correct - is something I will probably never be able to understand.

jaclaz

 
Posted : 19/08/2011 9:31 pm
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