Document Storage, especially where you store your digital files, has an impact on your business. Some businesses require immediate access to documents for short periods of time although in the long term those documents have very little activity, (for example, Accounts Payable, where activity is generally greatest in the first year.

With the rapid changes in the storage market place , many consumers of Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)   technology prefer to use less expensive disk storage with the appropriate back up technologies. When compliance calls for long term retention, businesses should consider write-once media, called  Magnetic Optical, or DVD storage media. In some cases legislation asks for a duplicate or final archive of microfilm. Recent advancements make the transition from digital archives to microfilm easily available.

Types of Storage used in DMS:

Magnetic Storage- includes Network Attached Storage, Content Addressed Storage, Storage Area Networks, RAID and down floppies.

CD/DVD- includes Compact Discs and Digital Versatile Disc-120mm optical disc on which digital video, audio, data, and images can be stored. Available in read-only, recordable, and rewritable formats.

Tape -A magnetic storage media. Standard widths are 8mm, 1/8-inch, 1/4-inch, 1/2-inch, 4mm DAT (Digital Audio Tape), and DLT (Digital Linear Tape) in either rolls or cassettes.

Microfilm- (Aperture Cards, Microfiche, Microfilm Jackets, 16mm Roll Film)-(1) Fine-grain, high-resolution film used to record images reduced in size from the original. (2) Microform in the shape of a strip or roll. (3) To record microphotographs on film.

MO- Magnetic Optical media is similar to compact discs. The media though is much safer to harmful external environmental issues. The MO cover keeps dust, fingers and other harmful items that may damage the structure of the media. MO has a stated shelf life of 30 years.