Check out UDO

In the next few months a new generation of optical storage devices using UDO (ultra density optical) will come on the market, and if you back up large datasets to optical disk, then you should start paying attention.

The first generation will offer 30GB of storage in a 5.25-in. form factor cartridge with succeeding generations offering up to 120GB by 2007.

Although most of the early attention is centered on write-once UDO products for archival use, UDO will be available with rewritable media. The write-once and rewritable media will work in the same drives.

While UDO is not backwards compatible with existing optical media, the drives and the cartridges will be physically compatible with 5.25" MO drives, making it easy to integrate UDO into libraries and jukeboxes.

The technology relies on short-wavelength blue lasers to pack information more densely onto the disk. The UDO standard was developed by

    Requires Free Membership to View

    Login

    When you register for SearchStorage.com, you’ll also receive targeted emails from my team of award-winning editorial writers. Our goal is to keep you informed on the hottest topics, the latest news and the biggest challenges you face as a storage professional today.

    Rich Castagna, Editorial Director

    By submitting your registration information to SearchStorage.com you agree to receive email communications from TechTarget and TechTarget partners. We encourage you to read our Privacy Policy which contains important disclosures about how we collect and use your registration and other information. If you reside outside of the United States, by submitting this registration information you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States. Your use of SearchStorage.com is governed by our Terms of Use. You may contact us at webmaster@TechTarget.com.

Plasmon, HP and Sony both for storage applications and as a next-generation replacement for consumer DVD. One of the reasons for the 30GB capacity of the first generation is to let UDO disks store a movie in high-definition televison format.

While the combination of cost, estimated at $2 per GB of storage, and 30 GB capacity means that UDO probably won't make companies throw out their tape drives, it should be quite popular with the ones that currently use optical storage for backup or archival storage. If that includes you, then you should take a look at these new devices.

Plasmon has a fair amount of information on UDO, including a white paper (free on registration), on its Web site.

Rick Cook has been writing about mass storage since the days when the term meant an 80K floppy disk. The computers he learned on used ferrite cores and magnetic drums. For the last twenty years he has been a freelance writer specializing in storage and other computer issues.


This was first published in October 2002

Disclaimer: Our Tips Exchange is a forum for you to share technical advice and expertise with your peers and to learn from other enterprise IT professionals. TechTarget provides the infrastructure to facilitate this sharing of information. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or validity of the material submitted. You agree that your use of the Ask The Expert services and your reliance on any questions, answers, information or other materials received through this Web site is at your own risk.

Back to top