Data validation is a fancy term for knowing whether you still have all of the digital files you think you have and whether they are well preserved.
Data Validation
Periodic validation of your stored image files is a recommended practice. We outline best procedures for image files that are not DNG or on write-once media.
Moving digital images from one place to another can, in rare cases, result in missing or corrupted files. These are avoidable problems if you use validated transfer.
DNG format has validation tools built in, which makes it a uniquely suitable archive format. We explain how this works.
Unlike rewritable media, such as hard drives and tape, write-once media, such as optical discs, can be validated with absolute certainty if you follow this procedure.
Last Updated September 22, 2015