As digital data worldwide grows, CD-ROMs have emerged as the most convenient and effective method of data distribution. Organizations from both public and private sectors are assessing the advantages of centralizing and networking CD-ROMS. The networking sector of the CD-ROM industry is growing at such a fast pace that new applications seem to be introduced monthly. Law firms, universities, public libraries, government agencies and other data-reliant institutions are demanding an increased flow of digital information directly to the desktop as new networks and softwares flood the market.
How are network systems adapting to meet the demands of their users?
The evolving relationships among Intranets, the Internet, the World Wide Web, Networkable CD-ROM titles and corporate networks are making some applications obsolete only months after release. This fact makes publishers wonder how their audiences will receive their products. Are the support mechanisms in place to support new technologies? Is training required before new applications can be used? Are the new networking technologies feasible, and can they be delivered on time? How quickly will current applications become obsolete? Will current hardware become obsolete soon?
The questions about networks evolve almost as rapidly as the software or hardware, and these questions are asked daily by MIS personnel and librarians. This theme will answer many current questions, and will provide solutions to make different technologies easier to use.

What is a library in the future? It is no longer the basement of a sixth century monastery, or a collection of leather-bound books, or even shelves of film, or records, or videotapes. It is not even a collection of CD-ROM discs. A library is a universe of data, and every part of our lives are affected by the existence of these collections of universes. Law firms, governments local and federal, medical schools and hospitals, banks, and traditional libraries are managing data as effectively as they can, according to one requirement: give the consumer the requested information as quickly and clearly as possible. This session will comprehensively examine the rewards and pitfalls of designing networks appropriate to small or huge users of data. Platform compatibility is explained, web connections for networks are introduced, search engines are compared, and security, licensing and installation issues are discussed.

Monday 1:00 p.m. -- May 19

Session Title: LIBRARY NETWORKING 2000
A panel of three librarians -- a law firm, a university, and a county library and several technologists will examine the needs of their libraries and discuss implementation of a network based solution.

· Is data available from other sources, and is the medium reliable and efficient?


· Would a mixture of delivery technologies improve efficiency?


· What is the effect of new technologies on existing infrastructures?


· What is the effect of new technologies on support personnel?

Moderator: TBA



Monday 3:00 p.m. -- May 19

Session Title: MAINLINING CD: The Relative Merits of Near-Line or On-Line
Should your data be continuously available? Keeping your data on-line can be comparatively expensive, but sometimes it is essential. The argument between on-line and near-line does not rely on a definitive preference but upon the needs of your particular application. The moving parts of a near-line system can result in breakdowns; on-line systems are expensive, both in terms of cash and space. This session compares the merits of both systems against each other and against the needs of individual applications.
Moderator: Felix Nemirovsky, Plextor


Tuesday 9:00 a.m. -- May 20

Session Title: APPLICATIONS: Managers and Launchers
Who is using which title in your 200-CD jukebox? When? After you've identified the user, how do you need to identify the individual file being used? This session examines how electronic libraries are being presented on desktops. Do libraries need to justify the existence of certain titles? If libraries are profit-oriented, would pay-as-you-research applications fit? Should CD-ROM networking companies provide, document and maintain Application Programming Interface (API), that allow you to write scripts or enhance your applications when residing in a CD-ROM server? Moderator: Dale Cline, MediaPath

Tuesday 3:00 p.m. -- May 20

Session Title: ANALYZING NETWORKING PERFORMANCE: Separating Myth From Facts
Four aspects of networking expertise are shared, including 1) understanding the topology, 2) understanding various solutions, 3) overcoming bottlenecks, and 4) Lies, Damned Lies and Benchmarks. The first element will discuss potential bottlenecks along the way from the CD's file to the user's workstation, with particular emphasis on the following: I/O Bottlenecks: Seek Time, Transfer Time, I/O bus characteristics; Memory and CPU: CPU Speed and Memory Size; and LAN discussion: Topologies and bandwidth. The second element provides an overview of the various available solutions for dedicated servers vs. non-dedicated servers, with particular emphasis on the following: Non-Dedicated Servers: using the existing file server, NT and NetWare, and the relative advantages and disadvantages; Dedicated Servers: Protocol emulation (SMB, NCP, NFS, HTTP); and Redirectors. The third element assesses the potential contribution to performance of the various solutions used, including the following: Hard Drive caching; Sequential vs. Random Seeks; Larger Memory; and File system Caching. The fourth element discusses the applicability of various benchmarks.
Moderator: Shmuel Shottan, Meridian Data

WEDNESDAY 1:00 p.m. -- May 21

Session Title: NETWORKING CD-R TECHNOLOGY
CD-R technology has undergone dramatic change in the last few years. Once an exotic and expensive technology used to create CD-ROM prototypes for electronic publishing organizations, CD-Rs have become common desktop peripherals. In part this has been driven by the explosive expansion of the installed base of CD-ROM drives, now almost an automatic must-have for new computers from desktop systems to servers. Virtually all networks have at least one CD-ROM drive attached, if only for installing new software. Major applications of CD-R still include CD-ROM disc prototyping, but now include low-volume or custom data or software distribution, secure data distribution, fast turn-around disc production, and data backup and archiving. Many of these applications are particularly applicable to the networked environments which populate most corporate offices. Though commonplace on the desktop, integrating CD-R technology into a heterogeneous networking environment is not easy. But most of the challenges can be anticipated -- and even avoided -- if you know what to expect. The biggest impact usually relates to network utilization. Efficient operation of shared CD-R equipment generally requires additional technologies such as disk autoloaders, CD-R enabled jukeboxes, disc label printers and perhaps even enhancements to the network itself. Job scheduling and even job creation should be automated whenever possible. Network impacts should be considered and the system should be managed to minimize negative impacts on the average network user. This presentation will address network applications of CD-R technology and effective integration of CD-R technology into networks. The presentation will also cover related technology such as CD-R label printers and CD-ROM drives, towers, and jukeboxes, and how these can be integrated to provide complete solutions for high-capacity information storage and retrieval applications .
Moderator: Andy Young, Young Minds
Speakers: Andy Young and Kirti Vashee, Smart Storage

WEDNESDAY 3:00 p.m. -- May 21

Session Title: THE JUKEBOX MECCA: A Comparative Analysis
This session will outline existing technology and review new technologies. Jukeboxes, towers, and servers are compared by a leader in the field. How can users facilitate the development of a comparative framework and understanding of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various jukeboxes and changers available today? The discussion will also educate users on determining the most appropriate jukebox combinations for the applications. This session features a unique Q&A with leading vendors.
Moderator: Kirti Vashee, Smart Storage

THURSDAY Noon -- May 22

Session Title: NETWORKING THE FUTURE: New Directions in Networks
Moderator: TBA

BIO on Ruben Nieves: Mr. Nieves has been involved in the networking of CD-ROMS since 1988. He has developed, supported and installed networked CD-ROM applications for many US Government agencies, Fortune 500 and small companies. He is a regular contributor to SIGCAT's DISCourse magazine.