just starting out

[k1134]

i just got a ntsc ps2 about a week ago.
its a scph 30001 with serial # U56xxxxx.
its got 8 screws on the bottom too.
i got a bunch of original games with it and i want
to back them up. about half are dvds.
i would like to know what i need to be able to
boot a backup of a dvd game and a normal cd.
everyone has their own way of doing this, and i'd like to know what has werked best for people with my version of ps2.
i have a lot of experience with old skool ps1 backup and even more in dc emulation, so i kinda know what i'm doing.
i just want to know what type of mod chip will
work best for my system and what version of gameshark i should get for it.
i want to be able to play dvd games without downsizing them. i dont care if i have to do like 5 steps to get it working. i just want to do it right the first time. any help would be nice.