CDR Sam

Back-Up Using Tape

July 30, 2009 | USB Flash and Flash Memory

I have to say after several years of using a DLT drive from a very well known American computer manufacturer and having to replace it every year that I wonder about our technology.  I see the same Tech every year and we discuss the state of equipment and look at the IBM eServers that are over ten years old and an old IBM DLT tape autoloader that has been running for 10 years.  It runs on SCSI and I’ve not been in a terrible hurry to put in an old SCSI (I’m not sure it would even fit with the PCIexpress slot).

This has got me thinking about flash drive backup.  Essentially running a PC connected USB Flash duplicator as a port for data sets of drives.

So here is how it works.

You connect the flash drive back up unit via USB to the server.

• Each drive is labeled or has a key label attached on the lanyard.  Drives can be stored in a key rack.
• Each drive is the back-up media.  Each day is written to one flash drive and then the next day is written to a new drive.  Past days can be removed and stored off site.
• Flash drives have no mechanical parts that fail.  No tape that jams, no drive heads that wear out.
• The system could have a lockable cover to protect the drives from ‘accidental’ removal
• Each drive would need to be recognized by the back up software as a back up media
• Cycle the drives out like we cycle out tapes.  Retire them after 2 years.

You can tell I’ve had it with DLT.  The drives are not cheap by any standard nor are the tapes.  Stay tuned.

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MP3 for the car stereo with USB flash drive support

July 17, 2009 | USB Flash and Flash Memory

I know there are many ways to add MP3 music audio to one’s automobile.  My desire is to have MP3 available for play in the car via USB memory sticks so I can follow my favorite podcasts.  Certainly CD disc playing is critical as well as a radio tuner.  I looked around and picked up a Clarion DXZ385USB.  This replaces my Clarion RDB245D AM/FM CD player.

that I’ve had for 10 years.  It’s actually been in a few cars when it finally had it’s prime in my car.  I’m going to run into tense issues in speaking now in past tense since I have removed the RDB245D.  The old clarion has been a great player and besides the terminals getting dirty and needing cleaning (the stereo would keep shuting itself off).  Although come to think of it the CDs were getting a bit slow in ejecting, especially in the winter time.  So out with the old and in with the new.

For some insane reason I thought this would be a simple pull it out put the new one in.  I forgot the process from the first time around when my buddy helped me (I held the flashlight) put the old one in.

All the trim had to come out around the Clarion stereo, climate control and empty spacers for knick-knacks like discs and sunglasses. The difficulty comes in taking out some of the hidden screws that require one to stand on one’s head while balancing on the driver seat so one can see the screws in the “ashtray” and turn them in or out.  Luckily these things don’t come out often so I balanced myself carefully and removed the screws.  Once the screws are out the console trim can be pulled away and access to the screws that hold the metal rack that holds various modules including the prized car stereo.  Once I was able to separate the various pieces I removed the old stereo and unplugged the wire harness both from the stereo and the car.  That piece I would need again.

I had to splice the wiring harness so it would match the wiring for the car which is about 15 wires and once I finished that I was ready to install the new Clarion.  It was the exact same process as installing the old one with removing the special sleeve adapter and popping off the trim piece.  I plugged the wiring  harness back in into the car and the new car stereo.  Turned on the ignition and on came the LED clock.

• I turned the car stereo on and tested the speakers and functions.
• turned the ignition off
• unplugged stereo
• assembled it into the rack
• plugged the antenna and 16 pin connector
• and screwed the whole assembly back into the dashboard

Again I tested the unit and this time ran it through the FM and AM bands, inserted a CD, played the CD.   I then replaced all the trim and all that was left was clean up. I will let you know how the flow goes when hooked up to a USB drive.  This unit can also support a iPod along with charging it.

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Recordable Dual Layer DVD Media

July 12, 2009 | Recordable DVDs

I think most of us would agree DVD-R is the clear winner in the single layer recordable realm but DVD+R rules in the dual layer world. Dual layer multiplies the storage capacity of a recordable DVD to over 8GB making it unnecessary to span discs single layer DVD+R discs.

Dual layer dvd discs do cost more, almost three times the amount of a single sided DVD recordable disc but in recording a video stream that is over standard length (feature length) it is useful.  It’s actually two layers: two recording layers with a special laser sensitive dye  stacked on top of one another that the laser focuses on (selectively).  Some of you may wonder why this can not be done in more layers?….    Very difficult.  Not impossible but very difficult to do it economically.  Two dye layers appear to be difficult enough considering the quality of dual layer DVDs. Verbatim seems to still rule with FTI and Ritek, CMC pulling up the rear.  Then again Verbatim makes some not so good discs but this is looked at as branding to specific low margin markets.  Singapore made dual layer plus R blanks really are the cream of the crop.

• DVD-R and DVD+R are Write Once Read Many discs, referred to as  WORM.
• DVD-RW and DVD-RW are rewritable discs that use phase change technology to record and erase data
• DVD+R DL (and one flavor in -R) is for dual layer.

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Cool band Katzenjammer

July 5, 2009 | Random Blackouts

I’m learning to play the mandolin (hey I got have something to put on CDs!   )   mandolin

amazing stuff.  Norwegian pop with classical instruments, love this song ‘Ain’t no thing’

Facebook page

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Health Care Reform-Can the Medical Industry Enter the Digital Age

June 29, 2009 | Data Storage

With all the excitement about the health care reform and climbing costs of the entire health care system it’s amazing to consider that much of the health system still uses paper to administer patients records.  The task is so monumental that it’s difficult to see how an entire industry can be reformed so soon.  Current medical data systems are very much proprietary and do not share well with others.  In order for the data conversion to take place it needs to be simplified for the health care professionals.

This may appear simple but the requirements of a software package that is

• secure
• reliable
• Can exchange data with other remote systems using high-level encryption
• modular: so various software interfaces can be developed with medical digital equipment and analog.
• Fast
• modular data storage
• Simplicity
• Can be easily deployed in medical offices.

Software aside the data storage requirements would really need to be mapped out on a local health care provider level and a On-line database for medical records. Essentially the local doctors records are uploaded every so often to a national database (or regional).  Records would need to be scanned in or manually entered into a database in order to keep local copies current and the larger backup database that provides coverage to all subscribing agencies.  This would be a non-profit type operation.

There are some medical “PACS “  currently available ( picture archiving and communication systems ) but there is no common image metadata platform.  Meta data is the ‘tag’ that is often attached to a image that tells a wide range of information about the image.  Data can also be added to the meta description to help identify the image changes.   DICOM does not fully specify the ‘metadata’ tags stored with images to annotate and describe them, so integrators of medical imaging equipment have wide latitude to create DICOM-compliant files that differ in the meaning and representation of this metadata.

A feature common to most PACS is to read and store the metadata from all the images into a central database however the differences between integrators’ DICOM implementations make this a difficult task.  It really appears to be a daunting task to even get the industry to convert to a common metatag or be able to ignore non-compliant data.

With several studies showing only 22% of PACS in health care and many doctors completely in the dark about how to go about converting it’s going to a be a task in line with building the pyramids.

Or building a superhighway for the health care of our nation.

http://medical.nema.org

Flickr image takomabibelot

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