IMHO, archiving should focus less on a technology and more on a process.  I 
don't think there is any media (magnetic tape media, photographic negatives, to 
name a few) that will last indefinitely and any 'player' of that media (tape 
drive, projector) that will be supported/repairable indefinitely.  The best is 
probably paper/papyrus.

So the only viable way to ensure information can be retrieved from archive is 
to periodically migrate archived data to a new archive technology.  For 
instance, it may be a good idea to migrate DAT/DDS media to LTO4/5 media now, 
and plan to migrate again when LTO4/LTO5 approach end-of-life.

This takes a lot of the risk out of a particular technology choice.

tl

> -----Original Message-----
> From: EMC NetWorker discussion [mailto:NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU]
> On Behalf Of Tim Mooney
> Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 3:07 PM
> To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
> Subject: Re: [Networker] long term retention of data and old hardware
> 
> In regard to: Re: [Networker] long term retention of data and old
> hardware,...:
> 
> > The availabality of data thru time is beginning a great challenge
> 
> Agreed.
> 
> > that
> > nobody try to solve actually.
> 
> That's incorrect.  Librarians and archivists have been talking about
> this
> problem for at least 15 years that I'm aware of, and probably longer
> than
> that.  Archivists working with collections of historical data
> (particularly
> photos and audio & video recordings) have been working on this problem
> for
> years, as they work to make digital versions of their collections
> available to the public.  Many of the major libraries and archives have
> very specific recommendations for file formats to use for long term
> "digital preservation".
> 
> Archivists have a better grasp of the problem of digital obsolescence
> than
> just about anyone.  As backup administrators, we're the only subset of
> IT that thinks about the same types of issues.
> 
> Tim
> --
> Tim Mooney
> Tim.Mooney AT ndsu DOT edu
> Enterprise Computing & Infrastructure                  701-231-1076
> (Voice)
> Room 242-J6, IACC Building                             701-231-8541
> (Fax)
> North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105-5164
> 
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