Implementing Conservation-quality Digital Media Systems and Distributed Archives

Since 2000, the convergence of new low-cost fast intra-networking technology and very large storage components has enabled completely new solutions to conservation of, and widespread accessibility to, cultural media. In a project commencing during mid 2002, ZKM has investigated the mid-and long-term implications of these technologies in the context both of archival and conservation and also of access by researchers and the public. This work has centered upon the construction and management of very large disk storage systems by non-specialist personnel in the museum environment, and builds upon ZKMs experience with largescale automated CD archives. While the advantages of disk-based storage for media archive is well reported, this project addresses the reliability of such systems for repository of high quality masters, enabling the complete disposal of conventional tape media for the first time. The ZKM Storage Area Network (SAN) project will reach approximately 100Tb (Terabyte) capacity by mid 2004 and will eventually house the audio and moving imagery collection of the ZKM | Media Library as well as mirroring several other collections. This paper presents specific experiences in loss-less digitisation processes and the automatic generation from digital masters of a range of outdated, current, and future compressed data formats for internet and mobile wireless users. The interoperability of different vendor storage products and open systems-based implementations is reported and the personnel training and management procedures necessary to sustain and guarantee the integrity of such archives over very long periods is also addressed.