How do you store your image library?

I have been struggling with the best way to store my complete image library. Now I'm not talking about portable storage or on the go...but once you get home and permanently store all of your images, how do you do it?

Right now, I've got all of my images burned to CDs or DVDs (with redundant copies in most cases). However, while this may be fine for storage, it doesn't really let me "use" my library. Let's face it, we take pictures to look at them, not to put them on a CD to collect dust.

So how do you manage your library? Index prints for each CD? A software system that catalogues your disks?

I've been dancing with the idea of building a try storage server with a database that stores all of my images on a high capacity hard drive and that is regularly backed up to DVD. But that's a lot of effort to end up with something that might be cludgy to use. Very interested in hearing what others do.

Hi Matt,

I have been grappling with the same question. Currently I try to be good about weeding out any pics that is substandard and make backups on CD's for the rest. However, I don't considers Cd's "safe" enough, and needed another solution. Happily I found that 200GB HDs have come down to very reasonable prices. I just put together a 3.2 ghz, 1600GB server, RAID 10, with all bells and whizzles at work for around $1200, and that got me thinking that I could do a pretty roomy 800GB storage server at home, for even less $$$, about $1000 if I cut the fancy stuff. I was first thinking of a tape drive, but it is cheaper to just put in a whole bunch of big HD's! So that's my plan now. Maybe do RAID 5 instead or maybe even just mirror he drives. Of course with RAID 5 or above one has much more peace of mind, as one can basically jank out a drive and still be humming along with pictures safe (but please don't try that at home and blame me...) Anyway 800 GB should be enough of storage for pictures for a good while, at least as long as I am content with the 6megapixel dreb...