What is DOTS?

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DOTS (Digital Optical Technology System) is a digital storage media that is:

  • archival for no less than 100 years
  • non-magnetic
  • chemically inert
  • immune from electromagnetic fields including electromagnetic pulse (EMP)
  • able to be stored in normal office environments or extremes ranging from 15º - 150º F. 

Because there are no demanding climate control requirements, DOTS is a low-cost, environmentally-friendly way to truly archive data long term. 

Download an in-depth guide to DOTS on PDF: English | Japanese
 

 No other storage media is stable for 100+ years under conditions of benign neglect. 
It ensures legal, cultural, historical data are preserved with accuracy and authenticity.

 DOTS is a true optical “eye-readable” method of storing digital files. With sufficient magnification, one can actually see the digital information. Our “Rosetta Leader™” specification calls for microfiche-scale human readable text at the beginning of each tape with instructions on how the data is encoded and instructions on how to actually construct a reader. Because the information is visible, as long as cameras and imaging devices are available, the information will always be recoverable.

Competing technologies (magnetic tape, hard drives) require a complex and expensive system of data migration within five years, as beyond this, there is an unacceptably high probability of data loss due to catastrophic media and/or data degradation or outright failure.