Digital Storage Options: A Transitional Perspective For Small Archives How Do We Provide a Safety Net for Small Archives? John Spencer BMS/Chace JTS 2007 John Spencer BMS/Chace JTS 2007

LTO - Another Solution for Small Archives the debate over “which media do i use” is so 20th century if you are a small archive and basing your media carrier on “shelf-life”, you have not done your homework LTO data storage tapes provide a cost-effective alternative (or companion) to optical media and hard disk drives the debate over “which media do i use” is so 20th century if you are a small archive and basing your media carrier on “shelf-life”, you have not done your homework LTO data storage tapes provide a cost-effective alternative (or companion) to optical media and hard disk drives

LTO - Another Solution for Small Archives LTO technology has become the leading tape-based storage media within the IT industry small archives cannot make the same mistake the professional audio industry made - the assumption that proprietary formats and media carriers will be developed for their specific needs - the reality is that many content creators are moving away from proprietary solutions LTO technology has become the leading tape-based storage media within the IT industry small archives cannot make the same mistake the professional audio industry made - the assumption that proprietary formats and media carriers will be developed for their specific needs - the reality is that many content creators are moving away from proprietary solutions

LTO - A Quick Overview LTO has a “roadmap” currently published through LTO-6 (1.6 TB native storage) LTO vendors are currently shipping LTO-4 tape drives and media (800GB native storage) LTO drives provide “N-1” read/ write and “N-2” read-only capability LTO media and drives are created by many vendors - as opposed to other data storage tape suppliers that are essentially “sole-source” (one manufacturer) LTO has a “roadmap” currently published through LTO-6 (1.6 TB native storage) LTO vendors are currently shipping LTO-4 tape drives and media (800GB native storage) LTO drives provide “N-1” read/ write and “N-2” read-only capability LTO media and drives are created by many vendors - as opposed to other data storage tape suppliers that are essentially “sole-source” (one manufacturer)

“But I Can’t Afford it!” not true - LTO-2 tape drives (200GB native capacity) are approximately $1200 USD LTO-3 tape drives are now under $2500 USD, and LTO-4 drives under $4000 USD can’t afford that? then make a copy of your HDD and find a vendor that will write the tape for you (usually $50 - $75 per tape written) LTO-3 and beyond also have the ability to be written as “Write Once Read Many” (WORM) not true - LTO-2 tape drives (200GB native capacity) are approximately $1200 USD LTO-3 tape drives are now under $2500 USD, and LTO-4 drives under $4000 USD can’t afford that? then make a copy of your HDD and find a vendor that will write the tape for you (usually $50 - $75 per tape written) LTO-3 and beyond also have the ability to be written as “Write Once Read Many” (WORM)

Small Archives: Do We Need a Transitional Repository? we have discussed during this panel how various media carriers (gold cd-r, hdd, lto) can play a supporting role in the storage of digital preservation files however, there are a number of other issues that threaten the viability of small digital migration projects we have discussed during this panel how various media carriers (gold cd-r, hdd, lto) can play a supporting role in the storage of digital preservation files however, there are a number of other issues that threaten the viability of small digital migration projects

Small Archives: Do We Need a Transitional Repository? this topic was presented at the 2006 CLIR Engineers Roundtable as a white paper and will be published later this year the assoc. of recorded sound collections (arsc) technical committee has created a sub-committee to determine a baseline of needs/ assistance for small archives this topic was presented at the 2006 CLIR Engineers Roundtable as a white paper and will be published later this year the assoc. of recorded sound collections (arsc) technical committee has created a sub-committee to determine a baseline of needs/ assistance for small archives

Small Archives: Do We Need a Transitional Repository? THESE ISSUES INCLUDE: structured metadata and templates (GIUs) to streamline the gathering of technical and descriptive documentation generation of checksums, unique identifiers, etc. workflow optimization allocation of funds within a grant proposal other tools/ hardware/ software not currently owned by the archive THESE ISSUES INCLUDE: structured metadata and templates (GIUs) to streamline the gathering of technical and descriptive documentation generation of checksums, unique identifiers, etc. workflow optimization allocation of funds within a grant proposal other tools/ hardware/ software not currently owned by the archive

Small Archives: Do We Need a Transitional Repository? WHAT OTHER SERVICES/ TOOLS/ APPLICATIONS ARE NEEDED? we need a survey to help determine what small archives need are there any suggestions from the participants of this conference? are there other organizations that are undertaking a similar project? WHAT OTHER SERVICES/ TOOLS/ APPLICATIONS ARE NEEDED? we need a survey to help determine what small archives need are there any suggestions from the participants of this conference? are there other organizations that are undertaking a similar project?

Small Archives: Do We Need a Transitional Repository? archival vendors/ service providers see poorly written grants that do not properly budget for the i.t. needs to maintain access and viability of the digital preservation files we as a community must do a better job of “sharing the burden” by peer review or other methods to assist the small archive in the planning process - before the grant has been awarded and has to be modified due to the unanticipated additional costs related to digital preservation archival vendors/ service providers see poorly written grants that do not properly budget for the i.t. needs to maintain access and viability of the digital preservation files we as a community must do a better job of “sharing the burden” by peer review or other methods to assist the small archive in the planning process - before the grant has been awarded and has to be modified due to the unanticipated additional costs related to digital preservation

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF 2 PROJECTS

Beale Street Caravan,® the most widely distributed Blues radio program in the world, attracts more than 2.4 million listeners each week. Produced in The Home of the Blues - Memphis, Tennessee - Beale Street Caravan covers the world with the heartfelt sounds and colorful stories of the Blues and its music makers.

BMS/Chace provided Beale Street Caravan with: a standardized template for metadata collection (that will also allow for export to various metadata schema) a hard disk drive to copy preservation files, send them to our office, and write LTO tapes the cost to do this was very minimal, yet the archive is more robust because of our assistance BMS/Chace provided Beale Street Caravan with: a standardized template for metadata collection (that will also allow for export to various metadata schema) a hard disk drive to copy preservation files, send them to our office, and write LTO tapes the cost to do this was very minimal, yet the archive is more robust because of our assistance

BMS/Chace provided Starr-Gennett Foundation with: migration of rpm discs “data cleansing” of existing metadata (entered by volunteers - using PastPerfect) import of newly-created metadata into PastPerfect creating the infrastructure for streaming (coming soon!) from their website BMS/Chace provided Starr-Gennett Foundation with: migration of rpm discs “data cleansing” of existing metadata (entered by volunteers - using PastPerfect) import of newly-created metadata into PastPerfect creating the infrastructure for streaming (coming soon!) from their website