8. Digital Preservation
Key Concepts
definition
challenges
technical
strategies
organizational
strategies
TECHNICAL STRATEGIES
Enduring Care should be seen as an ongoing strategy for monitoring the wellbeing of digital resources. Vigilant management of the collection includes housing images and accompanying files in secure, reliable media and locations; storing and handling media according to industry guidelines to optimize their life expectancy; and implementing periodic and systematic integrity checks and backups.
Refreshing involves copying content from one storage medium to another. As such it targets only media obsolescence and is not a full-service preservation strategy. An example of refreshing is copying a group of files from CD-ROMs to DVDs. Refreshing should be seen as an integral part of an enduring care policy.
Migration is the process of transferring digital information from one hardware and software setting to another or from one computer generation to subsequent generations. For example, moving files from an HP-based system to a SUN-based system involves accommodating the difference in the two operating environments. Migration can also be format-based, to move image files from an obsolete file format or to increase their functionality.
Emulation involves the re-creation of the technical environment required to view and use a digital collection. This is achieved by maintaining information about the hardware and software requirements so that the system can be reengineered.
Technology Preservation is based on preserving the technical environment that runs the system, including software and hardware such as operating systems, original application software, media drives, and the like.
Digital Archeology includes methods and procedures to rescue content from damaged media or from obsolete or damaged hardware and software environments.
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