COLD stands for Computer Output to Laser Disk. COLD systems are used to capture, archive, store, and retrieve data such as accounting reports, loan records, inventories, shipping and receiving documents, and customer bills. These systems are typically implemented to replace paper creation and microfiche solutions. Microfiche machines may be available at libraries or record archives. ...
COLD systems usually work by capturing data from print streams and storing it on hard drives, storage area networks, or optical disk drives. The data is then retrieved via web browsers or fat clients. COLD systems are part of enterprise content management. Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... In computing, a storage area network (SAN) is a network designed to attach computer storage devices such as disk array controllers and tape libraries to servers. ... Web browser shortcuts on an Apple computer A web browser is a software application, technically a type of HTTP client, that enables a user to display and interact with HTML documents hosted by web servers or held in a file system. ... The data itself is stored on the server. ... ...
In 2002, Mason Grigsby -- widely reputed as "The Father of COLD" for his seminal work with INSCI in the late 1980s -- promoted a name change for the technology. Today, COLD is also known as Enterprise Report Management (ERM). Grigsby correctly points out that "ERM" more accurately describes the process. Also, laser disks are only one of several appropriate media for computer report storage.
COLD (ComputerOutput to LaserDisk) technology’s acceptance within the imaging marketplace has grown to such proportions that virtually all document imaging solutions providers have added this form of technology to their product offerings.
The early pioneering COLD systems were designed to simply take mainframe or host computer report output files and store them permanently on the accepted storage media of the day, laser or optical disk.
COLD dramatically changes these operational areas by allowing the representative to immediately access the desired customer information, and then either fax, email or print it, providing the customer with the desired information while they are on the original telephone call.