Professional discs are highly resilient, but they are not immortal. While they are immune to the “sticky shed” syndrome that affects magnetic tape, they are still optical media; deep scratches or heavy dust contamination on the disc surface can prevent the laser from reading the data. Additionally, the protective cartridge can be damaged by improper handling, and long-term storage in fluctuating temperatures can eventually affect the integrity of the disc inside. Even digital media can suffer from degradation over time. The safest archival strategy is to transfer your valuable media to secure, redundant storage while the discs are healthy and the technology remains supported.