Abstract

Optical disk memory hardware offers a unique combination of performance features that renders it an attractive solution to a variety of large memory problems. Table 1 provides a comparison of optical disk with other digital storage technologies. The table is intended to indicate trends rather than to provide information about specific hardware. The most dramatic comparison is between optical disk and computer tape. Optical disk offers a lower cost- per-bit, much improved accessing characteristics, higher volumetric efficiency, and improved archival characteristics. The non-erasable nature of optical disk makes it most attractive for those large memory applications where the information constitutes a relatively stable archive. In such applications, where computer tape is presently used extensively, the lifetime of a tape is strongly dependent on how the tape is used, handled, and stored. Regular tape cleaning and rewinding, careful handling, and a controlled storage environment are a must if greater than two year tape life is to be achieved. Optical disk is not sensitive to the level of use, will not require regular maintenance, and will be tolerant of a somewhat wider range of storage environments.

© 1983 Optical Society of America