When it comes to backing up your organization’s data it is important to remember how valuable microfilming in Ontario can be when compared to digital media. Microfilming in Ontario has been around for over a century and has remained virtually the same. Digital storage devices, although convenient and able to store mass amounts of data, can be unreliable at times and may be inaccessible in fifty, or even twenty years time.
Remember tape drives or the 10 inch floppy drive? If you are old enough to remember these early digital storage devices and have data stored on them, you probably also know how difficult it can be to retrieve the information off of these devices. Since then, we have seen different types of internal and external hard drives, CD and DVD formats, USB “jump” drives, solid state drives, and the list goes on. As digital storage devices continue to evolve, there is no way to tell how you easily you will be able to retrieve the data on these devices in the future.
During the evolution of digital storage devices, one thing has remained a constant. Microfilming in Ontario, or microfiche began in 1839 and had various minor changes for the first 100 years, but since the 1930’s it has remained the same and is one of the most reliable ways to store backups of critical data. Microfilm is a data preservation format that is commonly used in academic, research and government fields, in order to save a backup of data that if stored properly, will be viewable 500 years from now.
Microfilm is essentially a miniature picture of an original-size document that can be viewed by the naked eye and with a microfilm reader which is basically a light source and a magnifying glass, which is often found in libraries. Microfilm is stored in plastic or metal photography reels and is easily stored and preserved.
Some of the major benefits of microfilming in Ontario include:
- Reduced storage space compared to paper documents
- Reduces cost of reproduction
- Document life expectancy of up to 500 years
- Court admissible since microfilms can’t be tampered with
Because of modern digital technologies, the use of microfilm in academic and research archiving has dropped, but the demand for microfilming in Ontario still exists. Microfilming is also discovering ways to advance in the modern world with new developments in color microfilm and document conversion products. Microfilm is now finding its way into the digital market as well, using new technologies to convert microfilm to be used on the internet.
A document systems company can provide information and help you understand how microfilming in Ontario can be incorporated into your information management system for your organization. Microfilming provides for the safe archival of nearly any document and can keep business-critical information safe for future generations to come.
To learn more about microfilming in Ontario, contact MES Hybrid today.