[ARSCLIST] Storing digital media

[Christina Hostetter <chostetter@xxxxxxxxx>]

Good Afternoon.  I am in the middle of a debate on what is the best way
to store large quantities of digital media (audio, video, and images).
I have always been under the impression that for such large quantities
of information and such large files a dedicated server (or servers) is
the best way to go as opposed to external hard drives or CD-ROM.

 

Our IT manager had this to say: Our servers have only lasted about 5
years before requiring replacement.  I wonder what makes you think
servers are appropriate for storing large amounts of data?

 

He is suggesting that we use external hard drives or CD-ROM to store our
media.  I think it would be much easier to store everything on one or
more servers and have the files accessible to anyone rather than having
to come to me all the time to pull materials in the archives.  Plus, you
could migrate that information to a new server when the old one is no
longer working.

 

Any thoughts?  I always thought servers that store only digital files
last longer than 5 years.

 

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Christina J. Hostetter

Archivist

National Press Club Archives

529 14th Street, NW

Suite 480

Washington, DC  20045

202-662-7598

www.press.org/library/archives 

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