Detectives believe it is the biggest-ever case of its kind in the UK.
Lewes Crown Court heard how more than 600,000 pornographic images were found on Michael Latimer's computer at his home in Goldstone Street, Hove, East Sussex.
Judge Richard Brown said the images represented a "vile and evil activity" on a scale never before seen.
Latimer, 51, who worked at a printing ink manufacturers, admitted 23 counts of possessing and distributing indecent material.
Brighton & Hove City Child Protection Team discovered that Latimer was part of an internet club that required members to provide images of children.
They later found Latimer had 220 computer discs, 500 videos and numerous magazines full of explicit pictures of children and babies.
The Sussex Police specialist computer unit was forced to buy in new, high-powered equipment to process all the pictures.
'Test case'
DC Mike Parkinson said: "The sentence reflects the nature of these crimes.
"It is very hard for the officers who have to examine these images, which were of children and babies.
"It was enough to turn your stomach.
"The Crown Prosecution Service has looked at previous cases and the largest amount of images seized before was 70,000.
"Clearly this far exceeds that and may well be used as a test case.
"It was a big joint effort to bring this case to court and everyone worked very hard on it."
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