Re: [ARSCLIST] Is recording to Reel-to-reel still the preferred preservation method?

[David Lewiston <david.lewiston@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rod Stephens wrote, in part:

> Brian gave me a telephone number of one of Maxtor's companies that
> specializes in archival tape systems, Quantum and they say their tape
> drives removable data has a life expectancy of 30 years.  So, again,
> what is different?  Also, if tape is more magnetically durable, mightn't
> Quantum's (or other vendors) 300 GB cartridges and drives be an
> excellent solution for long term storage?

For my own archiving requirements, I'm considering keeping the data on three
different forms of media, HDs and DVDs for convenience, and AIT-2 streaming
tape for long-term storage.  I've been given to understand that AIT is
favoured by banks and large corporations for data storage, and performs well
in actual use. Since DVDs are an unknown quantity at the present time, I
will -- if time and funds are available --  transfer the data from DVDs to
gold CDRs for the long term.

Reading M-AM's storage specs
(http://www.mitsuicdr.com/technology/technical_papers/documents/handling_ins
tructions.pdf)
I realise that one has to be careful even with gold CDRs. The storage
temperature must be between 5 and 30 degrees Centigrade (41 and 104 degrees
Fahrenheit); absolute humidity, 1to 20 grams/cubic metre; relative humidity,
8% to 50% - dew should be avoided.

While the temperature range is manageable, here in Hawaii the humidity is
typically 75%! Oh well....

Salutations, David Lewiston
The Lewiston Archive, Recordings and Documentation of the World's
Traditional Music