JVC Advanced Media U.S.A. Inc. introduces Archiving and Migration Solution for Optical discs

In response to strong demand from users for a recording medium that will retain important data to the highest possible standard, JVC Advanced Media U.S.A. Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of optical discs, developed “Archival Grade DVD-R”, ISO/IEC10995 Certified.  In addition, we have responded to increasing demand to retain data that requires a certain period of storage or data retention used for administrative bodies, such as government agencies, medical groups and groups under specific regulations.

 Furthermore, there have been no worldwide standard that defines the test method to estimate the longevity of optical discs, has caused many misunderstandings in this industry regarding archival grade products. JVC Advanced Media has addressed these issues as a social responsibility.  We have taken the initiative as the market leader to distribute the standard and related keys of long term archiving solutions on optical discs such as Error checker, Archival grade drives and also ISO/IEC 10995 Certified DVD-R 

1)    Error Checker   ~To know your data conditions~

As you may be aware, the condition of the optical discs can be known by measuring the error rate.  There have been no low cost and reliable test units existing in the market up to now.  For those who need to retain the data on optical discs for a long term this is one of the key processes.  There is no escape from “migration” when it comes to digital storage. The error checker can be used for two purposes,

A) initial performance test after the writing process helping to define what conditions your data is recorded on the optical discs immediately after the production and

B) periodical performance test for the media which has been under storage giving you the time to migrate the "stored media"

The knowledge of an ISO standard for operations is not widely known in the market. The ISO standard, ISO/IEC29121, defines the migration time by stating the error rate of the DVDR being stored, which you are able to follow by JVC Archiving Solutions.

2)   Archival Grade Drives   ~for longer migration intervals~

The most important criteria for long term archiving are “low occurrence of writing error”.  Discs with a high error rate could be easily affected by external conditions such as temperature or humidity.  “Low occurrence of initial error rate” is determined by the media and drive.  JVC Advanced Media has developed archival grade drives, which employs specially tuned up firmware, to address this critical point. This ensures the ISO DVD-R will be recorded at optimized condition and with the lowest error rate possible. In addition, the drives have special software to diagnose themselves to assure that they are running without problems.

3)   ISO/IEC10995 Certified DVD-R  ~for longer migration intervals~

Optical disc manufacturers have been claiming archival lifetime based on the result of testing performed without the clearly stated critical test details or important factors for long term archiving.  ISO/IEC10995 test is a very reliable and stringent test method. This method takes fluctuation in disc quality into consideration and eliminates factors unrelated to longetivity estimation. The ordinary test method that most manufacturers use is to take a simply average value in each test conditions for the estimation. As a result, claims of longevity vary from 30-100 years.  This simple average creates a probability that 50% of the result is below the average.　ISO/IEC10995 test does not define the length of longevity, however it says 95% of the discs have to survive for over 30 years at the condition of 25 degree Celsius and 50% relative humidity.