MEMORY ARCHIVE

In a recent magazine article the author asked the question which images are worth conserving. He confessed that he was ready to pitch out all of his former negatives, as being useless in today’s digital world and keep only important digital images on his computers hard drive. This action is totally unwarranted, since any negative may be scanned and retained as a digital file, along with camera generated digital files. However, retaining all of your digital files on your hard drive is impractical and unsafe. So lets examine a safe and practical method of creating a Memory Archive.

Most digital camera users do not have sufficient hard drive storage space or a redundant RAID hard drive system, with uninterrupted power supplies, for a safe method of retaining all of their camera files. Since prevention of loss is easier and less expensive than restoration, the best bet is to create an immediate digital clone as a backup safety step. To eliminate over saturation on the computer hard drive, commit the backup files to a CD for a passive archive. Once all of your files are safely on a CD then you may edit and delete the less desirable images from your hard drive without worry. This will keep your computer information to a more manageable level.

The choice of CD media is of prime concern for a long-term archival backup copy. In the late 1980’s, the CD became a choice method of storage with the claims that they were close to indestructible. Due to errors in re-reading material recorded on CD media, in the 1990’s, alarms began to sound. Numerous studies commenced in the late 1990’s and have continued to our present date, concerning the useable life of CD’s and their suitability as an archival medium. According to reports from the Associated Press, U.S. News & World Report and findings from the National Media Laboratory, the aluminum style of CD was the least reliable storage material. Gold substrate CD’s were deemed the best. We recommend the best CD available to preserve your memories and pictureline is committed to providing the only CD accepted by the U.S government for archival storage. Read more here:
http://www.pictureline.com/newsletter/2004/may/mitsui.html



Storage of the CD is of great importance to insure the longest life of the data. While it is okay to keep discs horizontal for the short-term, for long term storage, discs should be stored upright (like a book) in jewel cases that are designed specifically for CDs. These cases protect the CD from airborne contaminants and are designed so that the surfaces of the disc do not come in contact with the inside of the case. The middle hub tab should be pressed down to release the disc. The problem with CD jewel cases is the repeated bending of the disc to snap it free from the hub tab causes stress to the disc and can damage the disc over time. To avoid a data damaging stress fracture to the CD and airborne contaminants, we recommend the sleeve and box or the page and binder methods from Print File.



For the sleeve and box method of storage, CD’s are individually loaded into a CDS-2 sleeve with the information and content data sheet inserted on the backside, away from the CD. Sleeved CD’s are held upright in the CD20BIN for organizational reasons and then placed within the CD portfolio box for protection. The sleeve and binder method utilizes either the CD sleeve for 4 or 8 units. If a recommended content/index print is kept with the CD, they are inserted on the opposite side (backside) of the sleeve, away from the CD. This reduces the capacity of the sleeve in half, but allows all of the material to remain safe and scratch free. The sleeved CD’s are then inserted into the archival Safe-T-Binder for use and storage. Order system components here:
http://www.pictureline.com/category.php?mid=44&cid=365 .

Image data should be written to the archival CD in a non-compressed format. Use a lossless format, such as RAW, .PSD, .TIF or .DNG and you will be able to read and transfer the files without any loss of quality in the future. At some point you may have to move all of your data to some yet unknown storage media. Keeping all of the data straightforward and uncompressed is best advised.

If a CD is a good thing, then why not store your image data on a DVD? Granted DVD’s have far more capacity than a CD, but as of this writing none are manufactured in gold. Reason number two, is even more basic since there is no standard for DVD’s. There are multiple formats existing in the DVD arena and they are not 100% compatible with each other or each type of reader. Data written on one type of computer may not be readable in another brand. This may well defeat the principle of backup data if your computer becomes obsolete and the replacement cannot translate your images.

For the long term, CD’s should also be stored in a cool, dry, dark environment with clean air. Rapid temperature or humidity changes are not good for the discs, and extreme heat or high humidity can damage the discs or significantly lower their life expectancy. High humidity allows moisture and oxygen to seep into the disc, causing the reflective layer to become dull and speeding up the rate of deterioration. In addition, exposure to prolonged sunlight or other ultraviolet light can accelerate the degradation of the dye layer. In fact, extreme environmental factors can render discs useless in as little as a few weeks.

When it comes to ensuring the preservation of your data, there are extra precautions you can take. A popular method for CDs is to keep two copies, especially for your most important records. The two different copies should be kept in two separate locations. If the records on the disc are accessed frequently, one copy should be designated the working copy and be kept close at hand, and the other disc should be stored safely elsewhere. Discs that are used regularly should be stored in a similar temperature to that in which they are being used, which minimizes the stress from frequent temperature changes. For archiving or long-term storage of discs the temperature should not fall outside the range of 39° to 68° Fahrenheit (4° to 20° Celsius), and relative humidity should be 20% to 50%. The recommended ideal conditions for long-term storage are 64° Fahrenheit (18° Celsius) and 40% relative humidity, or even lower for extended-term storage.

Digital photography is fun and less expensive than shooting film based pictures. Since we tend to shoot more, locating your imagery becomes increasingly more important. Therefore, it is also recommended to use some type of library system for Data Asset Management to keep track of your images. You may use a free and simple arrangement, as shown in October 2004 picturelineNews. Find it here:
http://www.pictureline.com/newsletter/2004/october/fileorganization.html .
You may use iPhoto, if you are on a MAC, other software for a PC or the elegant Extensis Portfolio software, for either platform. Find it here:
http://www.pictureline.com/category.php?mid=73&cid=169 .

Exercising a few prudent precautions will keep your library of great pictures safe for many years to come.


Checklist To Caring for Your CDs -

Do:

Handle discs by the outer edge or the center hole. Your fingerprints may be acidic enough to damage the disc.

Use a felt-tip permanent marker to mark the label side of a CD. The marker should be water-based or alcohol-based. In general, these will be labeled "nontoxic." Stronger solvents may eat through the thin protective layer to the data.

Keep discs clean. Wipe with cotton fabric in a straight line from the center of the disc toward the outer edge. If you wipe in a circle, any scratches may follow the tracks of the CD, rendering them unreadable. Use CD/DVD-cleaning detergent, isopropyl alcohol, or methanol to remove stubborn dirt.

Return discs to their plastic cases immediately after use.

Store discs upright (book style) in their cases.

Store discs in a cool, dry, dark place with clean air.

Open a recordable disc package only when you are ready to record.

Check the disc surface before recording.

Don't:

Touch the surface of the disc.

Bend the disc. This may cause the layers to separate.

Use adhesive labels, since they can warp the disc, unbalance it, or peel off and foul the CD reader. Inkjet printed titles (Epson R1800) are OK.

Expose discs to extreme heat or high humidity. Don't leave them in sun-warmed cars, for instance.

Expose discs to extremely rapid temperature or humidity changes.

Expose recordable discs to prolonged sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet light.