The UK National Archives will lead research
into how it and government departments can
protect stored
data in formats that could become obsolete.
A National Archives project will look at options for setting up
a shared service across government departments to take, migrate and
preserve digital data on their behalf.
Most government information is now created in digital format
but, unlike paper records which have life-spans of centuries,
electronic records are inherently ephemeral and vulnerable, said
National Archives.
Many e-documents, such as web pages, can disappear within days
of their creation, and without active preservation those
e-documents which do survive become obsolete, on average, within
seven years, said National Archives.
But government departments need to be able to access information
for much longer than this.
National Archives said data stored on floppy disks can often no
longer be read and that databases operating on old and obsolete
platforms can stop functioning.
The constant migration of platforms also jeopardises key content
on a daily basis, it said.
"Making sure that information remains accessible despite the
rapid pace of changes in technology is a significant issue for all
government departments," said Natalie Ceeney, chief executive of
National Archives.
"There is a real danger of losing critical knowledge vital for
today's government business. Effective digital preservation is
essential to ensure government's accountability, business
continuity and efficiency," she said.
British library to secure its digital treasures >>
Data retreival strategies document management software
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