Some data require long term storage.
The desired properties for such storage are that it should have a low cost per megabyte stored, that it should be stable over long periods of time, that it should be easy to store and preferably that it should be easy for users to access when they wish to refer to the archived data. The Department shall encourage the use of CD-ROM as an archival storage media. For maximum portability we recommend that the data are stored on the discs such that the discs conform to the ISO 9660 standard. The Department shall provide an ISO 9660 conformant CD recording service which can be used to create CD-ROMs containing users' data. This recording process shall normally carried out by the Computer Officer and be made available for data stored on any computer attached to the Departmental network.