Data structure

Within organizations that have existing collections of browse imagery, the images must often be accessible to legacy software applications. So, it is advised to maintain the existing data structures. Similarly, if your application requires using browse images from another organization, it is best to use the data in the structure in which it is delivered to streamline maintenance.

Alternatively, if you are able to refine the directory structure of the data, it is best to ensure there aren't thousands of images in a single directory. The easiest method is to subset the data into directories based on dates, such as YYYY\MM\DD.

The catalog of browse imagery and metadata (to be managed using the workflow described below) should be maintained on disk drives that allow fast access; otherwise, file access can block performance. In contrast, the archives of full-resolution image files are often stored on lower-cost media, which may require substantial retrieval time.

10/28/2013