Key Takeaways
1. Buffalo Japan has ceased production of external USB Blu-Ray recorders, joining LG, Pioneer, and Sony in leaving the optical disc market.
2. Hard drives, SSDs, flash drives, and cloud storage may not securely hold data for over ten years due to various failure risks.
3. Blu-ray discs have a more durable inorganic recording layer, allowing for a potential lifespan of at least fifty years under proper conditions.
4. It’s important to create multiple backups across different media and locations, and to transfer data to new media every five years to prevent loss.
5. Blu-ray discs and recorders, such as Verbatim BD-R discs and LG Blu-ray recorders, are still available for purchase online.
Buffalo Japan has stopped making its external USB Blu-Ray recorders, which include the BRXLPT6U3E, BRXLPTV63B, and BRXLPTWOU3 models. This decision comes after LG, Pioneer, and Sony have also announced their departure from the optical disc industry in recent years.
Storage Options Available
While both companies and individual users can keep important files on hard drives, SSDs, flash drives, tape, and in the cloud, not many storage types can securely hold data for over ten years. Hard drives can fail because of motor issues, while SSDs and flash drives may face electron migration problems within a decade. Although cloud storage is a good backup option, no service can promise 100% reliability for long-term data storage. Tape and optical discs, when stored correctly, can preserve data for several decades.
Advantages of Blu-ray Discs
Blu-ray discs feature an inorganic recording layer that offers greater durability compared to the organic dye layer found in recordable CDs. This means BD-R discs are less likely to degrade when exposed to sunlight, humidity, and extreme temperatures, with Panasonic estimating a lifespan of at least fifty years.
For businesses and individuals who want to keep their photos and information accessible for years to come, it’s crucial to create multiple backups across various media stored in different locations. Additionally, they should plan to transfer their data to new media every five years or so to avoid any potential media failures.
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