Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
OAIS defines in very general terms an Archival Information Package which (log-
ically) contains all the information needed for the long term preservation of a digital
object. In addition to the Brokering/Orchestration mentioned above we need to be
able to create the AIP so that these can be handed over to the new host.
SCENARIO
An archive finds that its funding agency has been wound-up and the archive must
close in 6 months time. Moreover the data holdings are currently in a set of inter-
related database tables with embedded binary large objects, and a sophisticated
access system with much embedded business logic. How can the archive find
someone willing to look after its holdings and how can they be handed over
in practice? Although individual repositories tend to have specialised access
systems tailored to help their users, attention must also be paid to ensuring that
the holdings can be handed over if/when necessary, and appropriate tools and
techniques are needed to help do this.
24.6.6.1 Next Steps
•
Create tools for collecting and (logically) packaging information into AIPs using
information from a variety of underlying information systems
•
Investigate the options for mapping systems from one major system to another.
24.6.6.2 Final Destination
•
A system which will allow organisations which are no longer able to fund the
preservation of a particular dataset is able to find an organisation willing and able
to take over the responsibility. The ultimate fallback could be the Storage Facility
(see Sect.
4.8.1.1
)
24.6.6.3 Relevant Projects, Policies, Organisations, Activities
•
CASPAR (
http://www.casparpreserves.eu/
), SHAMAN (
http://www.shaman-ip.
eu/,
OAIS
http://public.ccsds.org/publications/archive/650x0b1.pdf
)
24.6.7 Certified Repositories
Certification process so that one can have confidence about whom to trust to
preserve data holdings over the long term:
Although one cannot guarantee anything into the indefinite future there has, for
more than a decade, been a demand for an international process for accreditation,
auditing and certification of digital repositories, based on an ISO standard.
