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JVC-OptoMedia
CD-ROM & CDR Library '4-in-1' Solution - (c) 1997-2000, OptoMedia
Storage Solutions Ltd
OptoMedia 4-in-1 CD Library Packages for Windows NT
OptoMedia have taken the market leading range of JVC
CD libraries, and combined them with industry leading software,
configuration, installation and onsite maintenance to simplify integration
of CD library solutions for professional users
Combining the four central components within a CD
library system, the logistical problems of such an installation
are now removed from the client, and their reseller.
There are four main components of a CD library system
comprising:
i. CD Library
ii. Driver Software
iii. Configuration, Delivery, Installation and Training
iv. Maintenance
By acting as the central provider and point of contact,
OptoMedia control and consult with each of the four component area
providers, in addition to offering independent specialist consultation
services to clients CD-ROM distribution needs, be they CD-ROM libraries,
or tower systems.
Within their demonstration facilities, OptoMedia offer
a professional environment where clients can discuss their objectives
with specialist staff who understand the technicalities of handling
multiple CD-ROMs, be they tens or thousands of discs. The advice
is always geared with the clients best interest at mind.
It should also be observed that the OptoMedia JVC
4-in-1 package is also available for other platforms including Solaris
and Macintosh, certain features of the library management system
may be different to those for Windows NT 4.
Who Needs a CD Library?
Whether your IT policy supports
CD-ROM/Recordable or not, your organisation will have many CD-ROMs
in use, which many more users need to have access to, but due to
the media being in one place at any one time, only one person can
have access to that CD-ROM.
Each day in business, education and research, more
and more data is being published on CD before, or rather than on
paper. With additional information being published every day, managing
the amount of CD-ROMs within many organisations is impracticable
and is often left for another day.
A JVC CD library, on a Microsoft NT server overcomes
these issues by enabling all CDs within an organisations public
domain to be published from one central location, with easy management
and update control to all authorised users.
Within organisations where CD-ROM or CD-Recordable
is an integrated part of their IT system/plans, the JVC library
solution provides an excellent means of installing an industry leading
technology capable of meeting the demands of both todays and tomorrows
users.
In short every organisation has a requirement for
a CD library. The 4 in 1 integrated solution eases this decision
and installation route by removing the traditional headaches from
the purchasing and integration of such a system.
The Future - DVD and CD-ROM
One major technology on
the horizon in the optical mass storage arena is Digital Versatile
Disc (DVD) with an ultimate capacity of up to 14 plus gigabytes
on one disc. The JVC CD libraries will be able to support DVD-ROM
by simply changing the drive(s) within the library.
DVD-RAM (erasable) drives are available in the MC7000
series of libraries, these drives cannot be installed in the MC1000
or 2000 series libraries.
Upgrades
Whenever you purchase an
upgrade to your JVC CD library through the 4-in-1 package, the price
always includes any additional software or licences required, together
with the installation package, of delivery, commissioning and training.
Upgrades include an additional CD-ROM readers, or
recorders, taking your jukebox to a maximum of 6 drives. DVD ROM
drives are able to be installed into the JVC MC series CD libraries
to permit the libraries to be fully DVD ROM compatible.
Overview of Individual Modules.
CD Library
Often viewed as the only
consideration when purchasing a networked CD-ROM archiving system,
within the Four in One solution, the library is positioned as a
lower priority, as the JVC library is the worlds leading professional
CD library, and the technology is taken as the standard platform
of operation.
Based on over 30 years of robotics development experience,
the JVC CD libraries are designed to meet the rigorous environment
and demands of the professional video industry, the JVC series of
CD libraries are designed to be available in the most demanding
environments in industry.
Three capacities of CD libraries are available: 100
slot (65GB) 200 slot (130GB) or a 600 slot (390GB) each having a
compact footprint, and are designed as free standing floor units.
It should be noted that on the 100 slot libraries, the installation
and maintenance options are supplied separately to the library and
software package.
With a disc to drive ratio as low as 25:1, media availability
is very high, an average swap time as low as 4.5 seconds means that
even when an empty drive is not available the user has only a short
wait to gain access to the required information.
The 50 slot magazines enable media to be loaded quickly,
or indeed, enable media to be exchanged within a few minutes. The
magazines are designed for bulk loading, no longer is loading a
600 slot library a day or mores work, simply load the bulk load
magazines, and insert them into the library.
A mail slot is located on the front of the unit enabling
an individual CD to be loaded or unloaded from the jukebox without
interfering with normal operation of the jukebox. Using the mail
slot, update CDs can be installed without any jukebox down time.
As the standard shipping model, there are four CD-ROM
drives, options from this point include a further two CD-ROM drives,
or a mixture of two CD-Recorders, or CD-Recorder and fifth CD-ROM
drive. A maximum of 6 CD-ROM/Recorders are available in each library.
The optional integrated CD printer within the MC2000
series of libraries can perform, the function of recording data
on the surface of the CDR once it has been written to.
A front panel LCD display enables certain manual operations
to be performed on the library, with the LCD reporting all activities
within the library.
Communication with the CD library is via SCSI (Small
Computer Systems Interface) with each CD-ROM/ Recorder occupying
one SCSI address, and the library controller occupying a further
SCSI address.
Remote diagnostics is supported through a direct dial
phone line to each library, and the supplied modem, enabling a remote
engineering centre to gain a status report on each component of
the library in the event of a fault being reported.
Of course, as your needs grow, further libraries can
be added to your server, or the capacity of drives increased to
the maximum of six per library.
Software
Software to drive a CD library
is all too often overlooked, even to the point of not even being
specified. The JVC CD libraries are supplied as standard with the
highly acclaimed Archimedia series of library management software,
of which there are three levels available.
The entry level access software publishes all of the
100, 200 or 600 CDs in each library as a single device on a Windows
NT server. The user then simply sees each of the CD images within
the selected network volume, and has the ability to search each
CD at all directory levels directly off of the cache drive. Only
when the user has found the required information is the CD loaded
automatically into the next available CD-ROM drive.
If no CD-ROM drive is available one of the files being
accessed from another CD-ROM will be cached to the hard disk, thus
freeing up the drive for the next disc.
Any software that can search a Windows NT file system
can of course access any of the CD-ROMs available within the library.
Software that can have intelligent links to different
path names can also address the jukebox via the server as a seamless
retrieval device.
Where a library is supplied with a CD-Recorder, Archimedia
will be supplied with the primary manual CD-Recording software.
Data can be placed on to the server, where the CD-Recording module
of the software is told to which CD to write the data to. The software
will then load the CD into the CD-Recorder, and the data will be
written to the CD.
Once completed the disc then needs to be added to
the archive catalogue at which point it is available to all users.
In a dual CD-Recorder library, it is possible to write
to both CD-Recorders in parallel, enabling a backup copy of the
CD to be created at the same time. Use of the magazines enables
the backup data to be removed from the master library, either for
archive, or installation into a secondary library. It is even possible
to write to a second CD library at a different location from the
same server via fibre optic SCSI solutions.
As an upgrade the top level Archimedia XR software
supports the writing of CDRs from the main server in a fully automated,
transparent manner. The user writes a data set to the archive volume
where Archimedia will determine which data is eligible for recording,
and transfers the data from the server to the CDR(s) in an automated
function deleting the data from the server, and mapping it to the
recorded CD.
Even before the data has been written to CD, it is
still available off of the archive hard disk. All without the user
knowing if the data is on CD or the servers hard disk.
On all Archimedia software supplied by OptoMedia,
there are no license restrictions, except those imposed by your
NT server license. The maximum number of slots and drives are always
supported on your particular library configuration. When an upgrade
drive is supplied it too is supplied with the required license to
add the additional functionality to the software.
Configuration, Installation and Training Package
Included with the 4 in 1
package, is the configuration, delivery, installation and training
package, ensuring that on the day of installation your personal
are trained and prepared to operate the library that day.
Delivery is by specialist transportation, once onsite,
an OptoMedia engineer will then unpack and locate the library in
a previously specified location, and installed on the server. OptoMedia
do not attach the server to the network this is the responsibility
of the clients network management team.
Once tested, the system manager(s) will then be trained
on the day-to-day house keeping of the library, and management software.
This usually takes 2-3 hours. Further training on the technical
aspects of managing a CD-ROM library server can also be provided
by OptoMedia.
Once the training is completed,
the system is then ready to enter operation.
Maintenance
As standard each JVC CD
library is supplied with 12 months next working day response parts
and labour maintenance agreement.
Maintenance plans include all preventative maintenance
visits, including parts etc., caused through normal usage cycles.
Maintenance on duty cycles exceeding those stated as standard of
the manufacturer are also available on request.
Remote diagnostics via modem is also available on
all JVC CD libraries, enabling a rapid decision to be made as to
the cause of the fault.
The central support line number covers both software
and hardware support.
Software is supplied with a 90-day support agreement,
with options to increase this to one or more years as an option.
Included in the software maintenance plan are quarterly software
updates and telephone technical support.
Pricing
Please contact
OptoMedia for information on pricing.
Summary
It is the aim of JVC and
OptoMedia, to provide the client with a professional integrated
solution, delivering a solution that accomplishes all aspects of
a CD library system, hardware, software, configuration, installation
and maintenance, leaving the client with no doubt as to who is responsible
for what component within their system. A central support number
ensures rapid response with one person controlling all software
and hardware aspects of the clients system.
But with the client having the knowledge that the
system he has purchased is expandable and works from day one of
installation.
For More Information on the JVC range of CD libraries,
please contact OptoMedia.
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