Information Access Systems provides Enterprise Content Management-ECM-Solutions with OnBase software

The goal of any document management system is to take a paper document, scan it through a scanner, and convert it into an electronic document, which can easily be searched, retrieved and shared with other people across a network, the internet, or an intranet. Eventually, the documents will be removed from the active system and archived. When archived they must be in a format that can easily be searched and retrieved as needed.

There are two issues which must be addressed when setting up a document management system regarding the storage of electronic documents. Where will you store current or active documents and how will you store archived documents.

Documents may or may not be stored in their native format or file type. Some systems use proprietary file structures while others treat every thing stored as a single documents type like a TIFF image. Storing documents in the same way that they are created is useful if you are going to use the documents again or want them to retain their special properties. Somewhere on a local drive or network device the document will be sent and stored. The imaging system retains a pointer or address where this image might be. Even if the document needs to be in several places at once, some systems can support a hierarchal storage structure.

We recommend that current information be kept on your server. This gives you all the security precautions associated with your network and provides instant access to the documents over your network.

The amount of hard drive space needed will be dependent on the number of documents you intend to scan and the length of time you intend to keep them on your server.

What type of storage media can be used to archive your Electronic Documents?

With the dramatic drops in hard drive prices and fast response times, magnetic media such as hard drives or R.A.I.D (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) systems are becoming a popular choice for storage of document images. These devices are relatively inexpensive and can be linked together to store large numbers of documents. In addition, magnetic media provide the fastest response time. (The time it takes to store and retrieve a document.). When using magnetic storage it is critical that you have your stored data safe even with a device or system failure. Raid is the primary way this is accomplished. RAID allows for information to be stored on more than one drive to ensure data protection. Many people use digital tape backup devices as well. Digital tape backup devices are used as well; with slower response times.

Magnetic Optical (MO) disks are reliable and can store large amounts of data. In addition, MO disks can be placed in a jukebox that can hold over a hundred disks at a time. MO technology is slower and more expensive than large hard drives. One optical cartridge can hold approximately 100,000 pages of documents.

If the initial and near-future storage and retrieval capabilities are large, the user can purchase multiple optical drives and mount them into a jukebox with greater potential capacity. In any event, the buyer should estimate future growth and storage requirements and address the question of hardware compatibility and interoperability in light of future needs.

The media can be either "Write-Once, Read-Many" (WORM), or Re-Writable (RW). WORM disks can only be written to once and data is not easily altered, while RW media is a reversible technique. Some manufacturers use the RW recording technique in combination with a code on Continuous Composite WORM (CCW) media to specify the RW media should be treated as WORM. This method works well, as long as the media is used in a device that checks for the code.

Optical cartridges are available in several form factors ranging from a diameter of 2.5" to 14", and capacities of 140 MB to 14.8 GB. The most common disk formats for Data Processing (DP) storage are 5.25" and 12". Which technology is right for you? If your system works with large files then 12-inch WORM is best. With 12-inch disks, there is more contiguous storage space. Large files are less likely to be split across several surfaces. 12-inch WORM is better for high-transaction-rate environments where disk swapping leads to unacceptable performance hits.

5.25" WORM's advantages are price and size. Jukeboxes are less expensive and use less space. If you have a small budget or space is at a premium, then 5.25" is a better choice.

The storage components of a computer system directly affect overall system operation. There are several different types of storage components that can be attached to any of these systems. Let us consider the various storage groupings that include on-line, off-line, and near-line storage:

On-Line Storage: Considered to be any storage device that is always available to a system user. An example of this type of storage is a fixed hard disk either attached directly to a computer or available across a local area network. Fixed hard disks, removable hard disks, Compact discs (CDs), and other removable storage media are considered to be on-line storage devices when they are "mounted."

Off-Line Storage: Any storage media that is removed from the system and typically stored in a separate area for archival purposes. Besides floppy disks, removable optical devices and magnetic tapes fall into this category. When a CD is not inserted or "mounted" the CD is considered to be off-line storage.

Near-Line Storage: Differs from both the on-line and off-line storage devices. Near-line storage devices are stored in a jukebox, which can be defined as a hardware component consisting of media drives, such as optical or tape, and numerous storage slots or bays to store the media. Some systems contain a "robotics arm" to store and retrieve the optical media, and many provide a "mailbox slot" through which media is inserted or removed. All these components together comprise what is called a "jukebox".

Most people are familiar with CDs from music and data disks available at many retail outlets. CDs offer a safe and reliable media that can provide long-term storage for images. More can also be stored in jukeboxes that can hold 500 disks at a time. Furthermore, CDs do not require any specialized hardware or software to retrieve information. The drawback with CDs is their limited storage capacity. A standard CD can only hold around 10,000 pages of documents. CD Jukeboxes and CD towers make it more convenient to store large numbers of documents on large numbers of CDs.

The first thing you must know is to purchase SCSI based CD-R drives. They are MUCH more reliable then IDE.

Some other important things to know about CD-ROMs and recorders. The first question that you must ask is this: Is the information being put on the CD for retention longer than 5 years? If the answer is YES, you must use a certain type of CD-R media or else the data may not be retrievable in five years. Remember, the first consideration you must have when purchasing a CD Recorder is how perfect a CD recording the drive will make. Always remember that the information you are putting on the disk is much more valuable than the recording system that makes the CD.

Visually similar to CDs, these disks offer the same storage capacity of an MO disk without using moving parts in the media or requiring special software for decoding. With a media life expectancy of CDs, DVD represents the best long-term option for reliable document imaging storage. The drawback to this media is its higher cost and that it is not yet standardized.