Module 12: Storage

In this module, the focus pertains to storage and the longevity of different options.

What storage is right for you depends on how much you need to securely store.

The following conversions are estimates on the general data size of most of your recordings depending on how long your audio files are:

For every one 60 minute cassette, you will need approximately 4.1 Gigabytes of storage. And, for every 90 minute cassette, you will need about 6.2 Gigabytes. You will be able to determine your storage capacity needs by multiplying how many tapes you have in each category (60-, 90-minutes) with these conversion totals.

In the module, there is also additional information about the different types of storage hardware you can acquire and these options' various pros and cons. The options presented include USBs, CDs, Flash Hard-drives, Hard Disk Drives, and RAID Servers.

Ultimately, the decision of how and what system your organization uses for storage is a community decision. It is recommended that you use an on-site server to store information and utilize a system that can be managed long-term and in-house. Management of your own digital assets is part of a larger discussion of digital capacity and growth and requires both trained staff and the right equipment to be successful.

Stored information and data should also be backed up in multiple locations (e.g. a cloud, disk drives, hard-drives etc.) in case the active storage server goes down or if one backup is ever lost or damaged.

After completing this module, please feel free to review it again or continue onto the next one.