Managers and users would like to be able to use media error monitoring and reporting techniques to verify the information stored on optical digital data disks both initially when the data is transferred to that media and periodically to monitor the status of their data. By acquiring optical disk-based information systems that comply with this standard, data and records managers will be able to access media error information at both a functional (higher) level and an interface level for optical disk drives that implement ANSI X3.131.