Users want access to key information without having to leave their workstations while publishers seek cross-platform compatibility. Alternative solutions for legal storage of accessible data are an ongoing debate fueled by many institutions today. A viable solution can be found by looking at the following facts:

Technology advancements in jukeboxes, CD/DVD towers, networking and CD Recorders have brought the hardware costs down.;

Jukeboxes with their capabilities of storing gigabytes of data can be introduced to any network with increasing ease. Near-line storage in an adjoining CD tower, connected to the file server, can deliver immediate information to all network users.;

The confusion of too-many drive letters, common in most network environments is eliminated to a large degree by software mass storage management solutions geared towards creating a basic directory appearance of multi-volume data. Smart Storage Inc., of Andover, MA, offers high quality CD/DVD library management (read & write) software. Especially suitable to multi-LUN environments, SmartCD offers an inovative read-ahead caching scheme that speeds up CDROM access several times.;

The CD-Recordable (CD-R) is now being established as a successful replacement to paper and microfiche, boosting Computer Output to Laser Disk (COLD) applications and custom database distribution. Hours of searching for a particular document, created years ago, can be eliminated by searching for a scanned-in document stored on the CD-R you create yourself. Random data access ensures quick information access and drastically reduces wasting valuable time. Different CDROM formats are suitable for different jobs, so a clear definition of the requirements is a must.;

The advancements of the contemporary document imaging (and management) software allow for easy porting of existing documents to the CD-R medium. This approach is ideal for documents that may pass through long periods of dormancy but must remain readily accessible. Documents that are obsolete, but for legal purposes must be retained for an extended period of time also benefit from the CD-R medium since CD data cannot be altered.;

Internet makes vast amounts of information available on-line and increasingly, the navigation through this data maze is a bigger deterrent than its (lack of) availability.;

The cost of a blank Recordable CD media (at about $1.00 for a 650MB disc) makes it the cheapest mass-storage device available today, at slightly more less then $0.01/MB. The latest DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) store 4.7 to 17GB of data on a single, two-layered, double-sided disc. (though significantly more expensive, at $28 per 4GB media);

CD printers allow anybody to match the professional look which, until recently, was associated with huge investments only the large companies could afford. Clearly, cost is no longer prohibitive, when small numbers of CD ROMs are published.;

Cross-platform compatibility derived from the standards set by the Audio CD Industry in 1984 (ISO9660), guarantees data format interchangeability between networks (Mac, PC, and UNIX).;

Hospitals, insurance companies, and banks are leading the trend towards integration of CD - towers, jukeboxes, and servers into established networks.;

CD-R technology, applied to document imaging management, has only just become a realization. But when it comes to document imaging, and the need for cheap and useful storage media applied across networks, CD-ROM and CD-Recordables have become the norm today.

We offer several custom-cut turn-key solutions in the realm of the CD/DVD servers, towers and jukeboxes. You may also download SmartCD software for evaluation purposes, request a competitive quotation for a turn-key CDROM server or tower solution, or order software and/or hardware individually.
Contact us to learn more about Optical Disk technology and how we can help your organization benefit from it.