CD/DVD Servers deliver improved performance and value compared
to a jukebox for sharing CD and DVD content over a network.
Do you have CD-ROM or DVD-ROM
discs with material that you want to share with users over your
network? They could be software programs, computer-based training,
or subscription updates. Are you tired of being the CD librarian?
Tired of looking for lost discs? Tired of replacing damaged
discs? Perhaps you archive data off to DVD and want that data
online for occasional access.
If so, you need a network
attached CD/DVD sharing solution. For years, small numbers
of discs would be shared using a CD Tower and larger collections
would be loaded into a jukebox for sharing. CD/DVD Servers have
replaced towers and jukeboxes for most applications.
CD DVD Servers use software and hard-disk caching
to automatically and rapidly store ISO images of the CD-ROMs
or DVD-ROMs. Any number of users can quickly and easily access
the material they need when and where they need it. If you like,
you can map a drive to a disc or group of discs for foolproof
access.
These devices connect directly to your network
saving the cost of a separate server and network software license.
Each unit comes with software to facilitate adding, replacing,
updating, managing and deleting titles easily. The software
copies the exact disc image to the hard drive for users to access.
The original CD or DVD can be put in a safe place for backup.
The hard drive storage not only provides a wider range of capacities
(current models range from a few discs to thousands), but also
delivers faster retrieval and better support for multiple users.
The cost per disc of these caching (hard drive) devices is considerably
lower than with a tower.
You might ask why not just copy the CDs or DVDs
to your server. Do you really want to bog down your expensive
server, which has many other tasks to perform, with storing
and accessing discs? Just because you have a server doesn’t
mean loading it up comes without costs. The sooner it’s
full, the sooner you have to buy another expensive server. It
is more economical to get a special purpose CD/DVD server to
manage this task. A CD/DVD Server copies an exact image of the
disc rather than simply copying the data, so it is identical
to accessing the disc itself, only faster. Loading and sharing
out a disc on a general purpose server takes a number of steps.
This is fine for one or two discs, but is a real chore for large
collections or subscriptions where new discs are coming in each
month to replace old ones. With the CD/DVD Server, you stick
the disc in the reader and it does the rest. The drive will
pop open ready for the next disc (two and a half minutes for
a full CD).
A true jukebox on the other hand holds many CDs or DVDs in a tray,
or carousel. When a disc is requested, a robotic mechanism physically
locates the disc and mechanically loads it into an optical reader.
Loading the discs is quite rapid, but accessing them is anything
but. With its many moving parts, access speed and reliability
can be an issue. PrimeArray does not sell this type of jukebox.
