OSTA’S FOURTH ANNUAL OPTICAL STORAGE SYMPOSIUM
SLATED FOR SEPT. 28 IN SAN FRANCISCO

OSTA’s Annual Symposium for the Optical Storage Industry is being held in conjunction with the Digital Imaging ’05 Conference and will focus on Imaging Interoperability, Blue Laser Technology, Archival Storage and Alternative Data Storage Technologies

CUPERTINO, Calif., July 21, 2005 — The Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) announced today that it is hosting Optical Storage Symposium – 2005, to be held September 28, 2005, at the Hyatt Regency, San Francisco Airport, Burlingame, Calif. The event is co-located with the 4th Annual Digital Imaging ‘05 Conference, sponsored by InfoTrends/CAP Ventures, and taking place on September 28-29, to enable attendees of both events to participate in a joint session for the two conferences and other selected joint activities, which include a keynote luncheon on Wednesday, September 28.

Each year OSTA’s annual Optical Storage Symposium draws business and technology leaders from a diverse range of industry segments including consumer electronics, digital photography, entertainment, music, personal computers, optical and archival storage to exchange ideas and keep pace with the latest industry trends. Presentations and roundtable forums will focus on perspectives and prospects for optical storage technology and how it impacts each of these industry segments.

“ Each year we hear from the attendees what a great benefit the symposium has been for them by providing a means to meet with executives from different industry segments to exchange ideas and the information needed to keep pace with the latest trends in the marketplace,” said David Bunzel, President of OSTA. “By hosting this symposium in conjunction with Digital Imaging ’05, OSTA continues to act as a catalyst to address issues that affect consumers, manufacturers and developers of digital content.”

In addition this year, InfoTrends/CAP Ventures, a leading market research and consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industries, will showcase Digital Imaging ’05 Conference. Positioned as the gathering place for industry influencers and trendsetters to network and learn, conference attendees will benefit from the in-depth insights and market analysis provided by a team of expert industry analysts speaking on topics that will include camera phones, photo printing, digital cameras and video, and the digital living room plus several additional timely topics.

For the OSS 2005 sessions, two tracks are planned: OSS, focused primarily on consumer electronics, and COSA (Commercial Optical Storage Applications) to address archival storage and compliance requirements. For the OSS track, topics include: Blue Laser Optical Storage: A Technology Waiting to Happen; What to Choose – Alternative Data Storage Technologies, and Imaging Interoperability Between CE Devices - How Do We Get There? (which is the joint session with Digital Imaging ’05). Topics for the COSA sessions include: Archive Based Applications – Utilizing Optical for Compliance with Regulations to Avoid Risky Conversions and Overspending; The Search for an Archival Medium – the 100-Year Optical Disc; and Tiered Storage Management – What It Is and the Benefits in both Archival and Backup Applications. To complete the day, a joint OSS/COSA session titled, Beyond DVD - What's in Store for the Future of Archival Optical Media, is expected to be of interest to all attendees.

Following are highlights of the Optical Storage Symposium – 2005. Additional details and registration information can be found online at http://www.osta.org/oss or call (408)253-3695.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Registration Opens and Continental Breakfast: 7:30 AM
8:30 AM Session 1 0SS: Blue Laser Optical Storage: A Technology Waiting to Happen
Vendors from both the Blu-ray and HD-DVD groups continue to promote their respective technologies, but is the market ready for these products? What factors will be critical for Blue Laser products to succeed? Will recordable or ROM technology drive the market? Will there be any content to record? Can Hollywood agree on copy protection that will also be acceptable to the consumer? Do consumers need high-definition movies? A panel of industry experts will discuss and debate the various issues that will influence the future prospects of Blue Laser Technology.

9:30 AM Session 1 COSA – Archive based Applications – Utilizing Optical for Compliance with Regulations to Avoid Risky Conversions and Overspending
Vendors and users alike are scrambling to meet regulatory requirements for storage of a wide range of data and information. Email archive is one of the hottest applications within the compliance arena, with huge fines being imposed by the Government for non-compliance. Come hear how specific users and leading storage software companies have utilized optical storage as a compliant, secure and scalable archive storage media within critical data protection and management applications. Topics include:

• The numerous data types being regulated.
• The issues faced by users: Encryption, Retention Periods, Non-Alterable Media, etc.
• How solutions are being structured and data and information protected utilizing optical storage.
• Why optical storage is being utilized – longevity and retention periods vs migration and conversion on other media.
• Total Cost of Ownership reductions utilizing optical storage.

10:30 AM Session 2 OSS: What to Choose…Alternate Data Storage Technologies
While optical discs are a standard for removable storage, significant markets have developed for alternative storage products in both niche and mass market environments. USB Flash drives are not only replacing floppy disk drives, but new applications are developing for these products. Small hard disk drives are competing in the removable storage market because of their high capacity and decreasing cost. Other removable storage products are in the market and being developed, their proponents hoping to capture a share of this significant growth market.

10:45 AM Session 2 COSA: The Search for an Archival Medium – The 100-Year Optical Disc
This session features presentations from the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the user community for what they envision as a medium of choice for archival and digital preservation. An important session for both optical disc manufacturers and end-users that have to decide what are the desired characteristics of the best optical medium for archival purposes. Issues to be discussed include:

• What are the critical applications that would require 100 year media performance?
• What would end-users be willing to pay in terms of overall cost in time and expense?
• What is the role of the Federal Government in digital preservation?
• What is industry doing to address this problem?

Keynote Lunch

1:45 PM Session 3 OSS: Imaging Interoperability Between CE Devices - How Do We Get There? (Joint Session with InfoTrends)
Sure, all devices play JPGs but transferring collections of photos from device to device often means losing the "metadata" that was painstakingly entered by the consumer. Join a panel of industry leaders for a roundtable discussion about what companies and organizations are doing about imaging interoperability.

They'll respond to key questions, such as:

* Do consumers care or need better interoperability?
* How will interoperability affect consumers' behavior while using digital images?
* Will cell phone imaging drive the need for easier and better exchange of images & metadata?

2:45 PM Session 3 COSA: Tiered Storage Management – What It Is and the Benefits in both Archival and Backup Applications
Increasingly, users are faced with storing more and more data over longer periods of time. Tiered storage is about using the best and most secure media for critical data storage requirements throughout the retention periods. Access requirements, storage costs and the need to avoid penalties for not storing the proper information at any given point are primary end user concerns. The session will focus on the following topics:

• Tiered storage is not primary and secondary magnetic disk and adding more disks is, according to major disk vendors, “increasingly impractical”.
• The real benefits of true tiered storage are speed, cost and reliability over many years.
• Traditional “backup” data is being split into static or a more permanent data set, utilizing the appropriate RW and WORM media types for each. See the advantages of adding optical to the standard backup application to create an inexpensive but secure compliant solution.

4:15 PM Session 4 OSS/COSA: Beyond DVD – What’s In Store for the Future of Archival Optical Media
This session features presentations on the next generation of optical technologies for archival and digital preservation, including Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, FVD, and holographic disc storage. An important session for archivists, government agencies and librarians to become aware of future optical technologies and their impact on future collection management. This session also provides an opportunity for end-users to speak directly with the industry on their future storage needs and current challenges. Issues to be discussed include:

• What are the differences in these technologies and the applications they address?
• Have there been any successful early adopters with these technologies for archival purposes?
• What does industry see as the role of standards and interoperability for these technologies?

5:45 PM Closing Reception – Joint gathering with InfoTrends
A limited number of additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, please contact Debbie Maguire at debbieostaorg, or by phone at (408) 253-3695.

The cost for this information-packed event is just $395 for OSTA members or associates, and $495 for non-members. Registration includes continental breakfast, keynote lunch and closing reception. OSTA discussion sessions and the joint session with InfoTrends are also included in the registration fee. Limited walk-up reservations at the door are available for $450 for members and $550 for non-members. For more information, or to obtain the registration form, visit the OSTA Web site at www.osta.org. For questions, call (408) 253-3695 or email debbieostaorg.

The OSTA Optical Storage Symposium – 2005 will be held at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, CA 94010. For room reservations, call (650) 347-1234 or fax number (650) 696-2669. Ask for rooms in the OSTA Block. To take advantage of group rates, hotel reservations must be made by September 6, 2005.

For more information, or to register for the Digital Imaging ’05 Conference please visit www.infotrends-rgi.com.

About the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA)
The Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) was incorporated as an international trade association in 1992 to promote the use of recordable optical technologies and products. The organization’s membership includes optical product manufacturers and resellers from three continents, representing more than 85 percent of worldwide writable optical product shipments. They work to shape the future of the industry through regular meetings of DVD Compatibility, Commercial Optical Storage Applications (COSA), Marketing, MPV (MusicPhotoVideo), Planning and UDF committees. Interested companies worldwide are invited to join the organization and participate in its programs by contacting an OSTA representative at (408) 253-3695, by fax at (408) 253-9938, or by addressing its Web site at http://www.osta.org.

About InfoTrends/CAP Ventures:
InfoTrends/CAP Ventures is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry. They provide research, analysis, forecasts and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to grow their businesses. InfoTrends/CAP Ventures produces the annual Digital Imaging Conference