This is the stuff of digital information managers’ dreams. No more worrying about active data management, file obsolescence or that escalating energy bill….DOTS is refreshingly different from every other data storage solution on the market… [ Digital Optical Technology System – ‘A non-magnetic, 100 year, green solution for data storage.’ ] thegreatbear.net
Nonetheless, a genuine future-proof solution may be at hand: ASC associate members Rob Hummel and Dan Rosen have spent the past few years developing the Digital Optical Technology System, or DOTS. All the requirements for long-term preservation are built in: it has a more-than-100-year life expectancy, it is not subject to deterioration, it is easier to store and protect than film, it is easily accessible, it shows a lossless quality of reproduction, and it is cheaper overall than film.[ Editor’s Desk, American Cinematographer ] Richard Crudo, American Society of Cinematographers
Our digital civilization needs something more robust than simply copying digital data to new media every 3-5 years. DOTS is the best answer yet to this critical problem.[ DOTS: human-readable digital storage ] Robin Harris
Clearing the Fog Around Cloud Computing
DOTS archival and Green attributes are discussed in relation to energy savings vs. other storage.
In 2010, Group 47 was formed and acquired the DOTS technology including the roughly 30 patents and related intellectual property. Since then, Group 47 has been further developing the technology and business model…and has acquired 9 additional patents….Group 47 claims DOTS has been tested and found to be robust, for instance able to withstand extreme temperature and exposure to electrical or magnetic fields. The company asserted that once recorded to DOTS, movies need only be stored at room temperature.[ Digital Archiving Technology DOTS Could Be Available in 18 Months ] Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter
At Group 47 LLC, president Rob Hummel and chief technical officer Daniel Rosen saw a way out of the conundrum. When they were both at DreamWorks, Kodak had made a presentation to them about a new storage technology that was unique. It is now known as Digital Optical Tape System (DOTS), an entirely optical system…DOTS’ longevity “changes data migration into a choice, not a requirement,” meaning that studios will migrate only when new formats call for it, not merely to avoid the disintegration of the data. Once it’s fully implemented, Hummel and Rosen see DOTS as an end-to-end storage product for digital media.[ Connecting the DOTS: Archiving in the Digital Age ] John Lafferty, A.C.E.
Other Coverage
ETCentric.org | DOTS Technology Could Solve Hollywood Archiving Challenges