7 - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

Developing a Framework to Aid Decisions with Reference to the Use of
Different Storage Devices for Information Management
Rathnakar Acharya and Vivekanand
Abstract
Managing and storing digital information is an essential requirement of all
organizations today in the digital world. The question of storing information invariably
leads to the next logical question of which particular storage media to use. In
yesteryears, the decision of using a particular storage device was to a large extent
determined by the cost factor. With growing technological advancements in the area of
computing and storing, the price factor for deciding upon a particular storage device
has significantly lost its prominence. In such a situation, other contextual factors such
as the type of information to be stored, the level of accessibility for different types of
users, the criticality of the information and the different sources of information, would
become more critical. This paper will try to formulate a framework that would help
decision makers in making an informed choice with reference to the use of particular
storage media, given the particular set of contextual factors.
1. Introduction
Digital libraries have received much attention in research and development literature and
their scope is ever increasing in the information driven world. Digital libraries are defined
as electronic collections that are much richer in content and more capable in functionality
than mere databases or mere information retrieval systems (Borgman, 1999). Such digital
libraries are increasingly becoming accessible over the Internet. Harvard University, for
example, is embarking on collaboration with Google that could harness Google's search
technology to provide to both the Harvard community and the larger public a
revolutionary new information location tool to find materials available in libraries.
Initially, staff from Google is to collaborate with Harvard's libraries on a pilot project to
digitize about 40,000 of the 15 million volumes held in the University's extensive library
system (hul.harvard.edu/publications/041213faq.html). Google will to provide online
access to the full text of those works that are in the public domain. In related agreements,
Google will launch similar projects with Oxford, Stanford, the University of Michigan,
and the New York Public Library. Such ventures are bound to be followed by universities,
institutions and extend to commercial organizations across the world. The scope and
importance of digital libraries is upwardly mobile and the trend will continue. The major
advantages of digital libraries include storing resources in an easy-to-track digital format;
allowing remote, rapid, and fair access to digital library collections, and providing search
techniques that offer users increased flexibility and power (Wiederhold, 1995).
There have been significant advances in the technical development of digital libraries in
areas such as information storage, information retrieval, and system integration, resulting
in dramatic improvements in their performance. This paper deals with the issue of
information storage with special reference to the decision made with respect to the usage
of storage devices incorporated in designing and developing digital libraries. This paper is
targeted at managers of enterprises wanting to set up information and knowledge sharing
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Alliance Business Academy, , Bangalore – 560076 ; Email – rathnakar_a@yahoo.co.in
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