Summary
You may have saved tons of data to optical discs in the 90s and 2000s, but should you do the same today? Let’s take a look at when you should (and shouldn’t) use DVDs for data storage as well as the best practices for making the most of your DVD data archive.
DVDs Aren’t Convenient for Short-Term Storage
First and foremost, and this isn’t too surprising, burning data to DVDs is an annoying and time-consuming task. At best, DVDs have a write speed of 33.36 MBps (notated as x24 speed), though the average DVD clocks in at 21.12 MBps (x16 speed). And because the average DVD has a capacity of just 4.7 GB or 8.5 GB, even a small collection of data must be split across multiple discs, which must be labeled and organized for easy retrieval. Why spend all of this time fussing with DVDs when you can just plug a speedy HDD, SDD, or thumb drive into your computer?
There isn’t even a cost benefit to using DVDs. Assuming that you already own an optical drive, a 50-pack of 4.7GB DVDs contains 235GB of data and costs between $15 and $30 (read-only DVD-Rs are on the cheaper end, while re-writable DVD-RWs are the more expensive option). You can get a1TB HDDfor about $50.
DVDs aren’t a good option for short-term “hot” storage. But DVDs are often the best option for long-term “cold” storage, provided that you buy archival-grade discs.
For Long-Term Storage, Archival DVDs Are King
When it comes to long-term data storage, DVDs are still the king. Archival-grade DVDs are made to last for 60 years and don’t require any special hardware or software. Most HDDs and SSDs will begin to die afterfive or six years. And, because manufacturing defects areshockingly common, some drives kick the bucket after just a year or two.
If you stick all of your family photos, creative work, or important documents on a single HDD or SSD, there’s a very strong chance that you will lose your digital archive within a decade. It certainly won’t last for 20 or 30 years, which is whydata redundancy(saving identical data to multiple storage locations) is such a common practice.
Data redundancy is great, and it should always be observed when backing up important files. The problem, of course, is that data storage solutions require some maintenance. Even in a fancyRAID arraythat automatically copies data across several HDDs or SSDs, the drives need to be replaced every few years.
And, while cloud storage is pretty hands-off, it comes with a monthly fee. Family and friends can’t be expected to maintain this stuff after you’re gone. So, if you want your most important data to outlive you, it must be copied to a long-lasting storage media that requires zero maintenance, fees, or technical expertise. That’s where archival-grade DVDs become useful.
Most consumer-grade DVDs are only meant tolast a decadeand shouldn’t be used for long-term storage—yeah, plenty of discs from the 90s are still in working order, but many are not. That’s why archival-grade DVDs exist. Archival DVDs are engineered to last 60 years or more, and they work with regular old optical drives. These DVDs are more expensive than consumer-grade discs, with prices floating around$90 for a 50-pack. (Hey, it’s cheaper than buying new hard drives every few years.)
A DVD “expires” when the chemical composition of its dye, reflective layer, or adhesive binding begins to break down. Archival-grade DVDs are manufactured using resilient materials and proprietary methods to extend shelf life. They also tend to use a dual-layer design with both a silver and gold reflective layer. The gold layer may seem flashy or superfluous, butVerbatim(a disc manufacturer) claims that it reduces oxygen exposure—oxygen, along with sunlight, can accelerate the chemical degradation of optical discs.
Some people worry that archival DVDs will be difficult to use in the future. Thismightbe a valid concern. But until a great new data archival solution comes along, optical drives and archival DVDs will remain in production. Plus, the hundreds of millions of optical drives that already exist will continue to work for some time.
Note that there are several other long-term data storage solutions; archival-grade DVDs are simply the most accessible and affordable option. Blu-ray discs, for example, are more resilient and have a larger capacity than DVDs but cost more money and require a Blu-ray drive. (There are alsoM-Discs, which are used by the U.S. Department of Defense and have a theoretical lifespan of 1,000 years. Writing an M-Disc requires a compatible Blu-ray drive orM-Disc drive, though a standard DVD drive can read M-Disc contents. Unfortunately, M-Discs costabout $8 apiceand can only store a few gigabytes of data.)
Verbatim DVD-R 4.7GB 8X UltraLife Gold Archival Grade
Built to last up to 100 years, Verbatim’s Archival Gold DVD-Rs are an effective and affordable long-term storage solution. Use these in conjunction with other storage solutions to protect your important data.
How to Build a Data Archive with DVDs
Archival-grade DVDs require no special hardware, software, or accessories. The Windows and macOS operating systems still support optical discs, andany old DVD drive(with writing capabilities) can burn data to an archival DVD. When you place an archival DVD in a disc drive, it will show up in your file system just like an HDD or flash drive. Just know that archival-grade DVDs are not rewriteable, so any mistakes you make are permanent.
Storage is also a simple task. Place each disc in aprotective case. Then, find a dark, room-temperature, fireproof location to keep the discs. A fireproof safe is a good option, though a safe deposit box will also get the job done. Note that these locations may be destroyed by a random act of God at any moment. Follow the3-2-1 ruleto ensure data redundancy.
The hard part, as you might expect, is the process of organizing and cataloging data. Ideally, you should be able to pick out a random DVD and know its contentswithout sticking it in a disc drive. If you only need to use two or three discs, this isn’t much of a concern. But archives that require several DVDs should be so well-organized that a stranger can figure it out.
Start by finding the data that you need to archive. Break this data into different categories—your family photos don’t need to be on the same discs as your creative writing, and large collections of photos or other files may need to be split by subject or year. When you start burning this data to discs, write out small labels or notes about the content. These labels should go on or inside of each DVD’s jewel case—I don’t suggest using markers or adhesives directly on your discs, as there’s no way of knowing how they will affect the discs over a long span of time.
If you have a ton of data, you may want to create a catalog of your archive. This isn’t a difficult task. Just write a number on the spine of each jewel case, then plug all of those numbers into a spreadsheet or word document along with a quick description of each disc’s contents (you can handwrite your catalog if you don’t feel like typing). When someone needs to dip into the archive, your catalog will make things easier. Software likeWinCatalogcan aid in this task and help you produce detailed descriptions of each disc in your archive.
Note that some data just isn’t worth archiving. Focus on the stuff that needs to stick around for several decades, like family photos, important documents, or personal work. The goal isn’t to create a backup of your computer, it’s to build a shelf-stable archive that may be useful to yourself or others in the future.
LG GP65NB60 8X USB Optical Drive (+/-RW)
This LG USB optical drive can write media to CDs, DVDs, or M-Discs at 8X speed. It has a convenient form factor and works with both Windows and macOS.
Follow the 3-2-1 Redundancy Rule to Protect Your Data
Storing your archival DVDs in a fireproof safe or safe deposit box will ensure protection fromsomedisasters. But if your home is hit by a tornado or the bank falls through a giant fissure in the earth, your DVD archive may be lost or destroyed. That’s why data redundancy is so important. If you have multiple copies of your data, losing a copy isn’t such a big deal.
As always, we suggest following the3-2-1 data redundancy rule. Create three copies of your archive, and keep one copy away from your home (in a safe deposit box, for instance). These copies do not need to be made on archival CDs. Hard drives and cloud storage are inexpensive and allow you to quickly retrieve your data. Just remember that HDDs have a short lifespan and need to be replaced every few years.
