Longevity of Optical Disc Media: Accelerated Ageing Predictions and Natural Ageing Data
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Joe Iraci
Joe Iraci is a Senior Conservation Scientist in the Conservation Science Division at the Canadian Conservation Institute. He has been performing research studies on electronic media for the past 20 years. His research work includes examining the stability and degradation of analog and digital electronic storage media. Mr. Iraci has delivered many workshops across Canada, teaching participants from archives, libraries, and museums about the preservation of electronic media.Department of Canadian Heritage, Canadian Conservation Institute, 1030 Innes Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1B 4S7, joe.iraci@canada.ca
Abstract
A considerable amount of uncertainty exists with respect to the lifetimes of optical disc media. In reports found in the literature, longevity for some discs is stated as less than five years, but for others, it can exceed one hundred years. The variability in the lifetime values has created a general distrust for optical discs as a reliable short or long-term storage option for information. This study was undertaken to provide some clarification about the uncertainty surrounding optical disc longevity. Using the European Computer Manufacturers Association standard ECMA-396, a recordable CD and a recordable DVD were subjected to a variety of elevated temperature and relative humidity conditions over several months. Eyring and Arrhenius predictive methods allowed longevity estimations to be made. It was found that the Arrhenius method produced realistic lifetime predictions for the recordable CD, but neither method produced reasonable figures for the recordable DVD. In addition, an analysis of naturally aged optical discs (up to seventeen years old) provided valuable data on disc lifetimes. This data also helped to validate the Arrhenius results for the recordable CD tested, but contradicted the long and unreasonable lifetime values predicted for the recordable DVD.
Zusammenfassung
Die Beständigkeit von optischen Datenträgern: Ergebnisse von künstlicher und natürlicher Alterung im Vergleich
Es gibt große Unsicherheiten in Bezug auf die Lebensdauer von optischen Speichermedien. In der Literatur finden sich dazu Angaben in einer Bandbreite von weniger als fünf bis zu mehr als hundert Jahren. Diese große Spannweite führte in der Vergangenheit zu einem generellen Misstrauen gegenüber optischen Speichermedien als Medium für Kurz- oder Langzeitspeicherung von Daten. Die vorliegende Studie wurde durchgeführt, um Klarheit bezüglich der Lebensdauer dieses Speichermediums zu schaffen. Nach dem European Computer Manufacturers Association Standard ECMA-396 wurden je eine beschreibbare CD und DVD bei erhöhten Temperaturen bzw. Luftfeuchtigkeit mehrere Monate lang künstlich gealtert. Die prädikativen Verfahren der Eyring und Arrhenius Methode wurden angewendet, um die Lebensdauer abzuschätzen. Es wurde festgestellt, dass mittels der Arrhenius Methode realistische Prognosen für die beschreibbare CD, aber mit keiner der beiden Methoden Prognosen für die beschreibbare DVD erstellt werden konnten. Zusätzlich konnten von bis zu siebzehn Jahre natürlich gealterten optischen Disketten wichtige Daten zur Beständigkeit dieser Speichermedien gewonnen werden. Mittels dieser Daten konnten auch die Ergebnisse der Arrhenius Methode für beschreibbare CDs bestätigt werden; die unrealistisch lange Lebensdauer, die mittels der Arrhenius Methode für beschreibbare DVDs prognostiziert wurde, konnte allerdings so nicht verifiziert werden.
Résumé
La longévité des média disques optiques: les prévisions du vieillissement accéléré et les données du vieillissement naturel
Un grand degré d´incertitude existe au sujet de la durée de vie des média disques optiques. Des études à ce sujet font état d´une longévité de certains disques de moins de cinq ans, alors que d´autres études mentionnent une longévité d´autres disques pouvant excéder cent ans.
Cette variabilité des valeurs de durée de vie est responsable de la méfiance que rencontrent les disques optiques comme option fiable de stockage d´information à court ou à long terme.
Cette étude a pour but de clarifier cette incertitude sur la longévité des disques optiques. En utilisant le standard ECMA-396 de l´Association des Fabricants Européens d´Ordinateurs, un CD enregistrable et un DVD enregistrable ont été soumis à différents cycles de température élevée et d´humidité relative changeante pendant plusieurs mois.
Les méthodes prédictives d´Eyring et d´Arrhenius ont permis de faire des évaluations sur la longévité. La méthode d´Arrhenius a permis d´établir des prévisions de durée de vie réalistes pour le CD enregistrable mais aucune méthode n´a permis d´établir de prévisions réalistes pour le DVD enregistrable.
De plus, une analyse de disques optiques vieillis naturellement (ayant jusqu`à 17 ans) a procuré des données de valeur sur la durée de vie des disques. Ces données ont ainsi permis de valider les résultats de la méthode d´Arrhenius pour le CD enregistrable testé mais elles ont contredit la durée de vie déraisonnablement longue prévue pour le DVD enregistrable.
About the author
Joe Iraci is a Senior Conservation Scientist in the Conservation Science Division at the Canadian Conservation Institute. He has been performing research studies on electronic media for the past 20 years. His research work includes examining the stability and degradation of analog and digital electronic storage media. Mr. Iraci has delivered many workshops across Canada, teaching participants from archives, libraries, and museums about the preservation of electronic media.Department of Canadian Heritage, Canadian Conservation Institute, 1030 Innes Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1B 4S7, joe.iraci@canada.ca
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Supplemental Material
The online version of this article offers supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/res-2016-0032).
© 2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Ethanol as an Antifungal Treatment for Silver Gelatin Prints: Implementation Methods Evaluation
- Evaluation of Alkaline Compounds Used for Deacidification and Simultaneous Lining of Extremely Degraded Manuscripts
- Longevity of Optical Disc Media: Accelerated Ageing Predictions and Natural Ageing Data
- Micro-Chemical and Spectroscopic Study of Component Materials in 18th and 19th Century Sacred Books
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Ethanol as an Antifungal Treatment for Silver Gelatin Prints: Implementation Methods Evaluation
- Evaluation of Alkaline Compounds Used for Deacidification and Simultaneous Lining of Extremely Degraded Manuscripts
- Longevity of Optical Disc Media: Accelerated Ageing Predictions and Natural Ageing Data
- Micro-Chemical and Spectroscopic Study of Component Materials in 18th and 19th Century Sacred Books
