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Optical archiving for scientific dataWrite-once-read-many (WORM) optical disk technology is now practical for use as (1) a near online storage media, (2) long-term storage in a passive repository, and (3) under some circumstances, transporting from and to data generators and data users at remote sites. Optical technology provides several significant advantages over magnetic tapes as a data storage media because it is more compact, provides random access, has a longer lifetime, at least 30 years, and is less sensitive to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. Two major archival projects using optical technology underway are discussed: the Coastal Zone Color Scanner data and the Dynamics Explorer data. Both projects have used the software for optical archive and retrieval (SOAR) to transfer data in a volume format that can be read transparently by VAX/VMS. Through the use of this software technique, (1) data generators and data users do not have to rewrite extant software and (2) the VAX/VMS Files-11 volume format is in wide use, so it can serve as an interim standard and will be accessible in the long-term.
Document ID
19910031039
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Lowrey, Barbara E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1989
Subject Category
Documentation And Information Science
Accession Number
91A15662
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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