Maintenance and Long-Term Preservation
To insure that active digital records are readable for future use it is recommended that a proactive maintenance plan be implemented. The maintenance plan would involve monitoring and migrating records when operating systems and/or software applications are changed or upgraded. It is best practice to create a documentation trail when files are migrated from one system to another. Documentation should include: systems and software specifications, date of migration, name and job title of person responsible for migration, and description of any loss of information that may occur during the migration process. It is best to create and maintain a documentation file for this type of information. The file can be maintained in a paper or digital filing system as long as it is known where the file is stored.
Best Practice
Adopt a digital preservation plan for records with administrative and long-term historical use. Assign the responsibility of data migration, system upgrades, and refreshing to a specific business area or individuals.
Sample Digital Preservation Plan
- Document: Digital Maintenance and Preservation Plan
- Unit Name: Office of Vice President and General Counsel
- Effective Date: July 1, 2002
- Data Migration: Joe Smith, Systems Administrator. System Administrator will actively migrate records when software version change or when systems are upgraded.
- Data Refreshing: System Administrator will set a schedule for periodic refreshing of material held "off-line" on storage media such as Zip disks, CD-ROMs, audio and video cassettes.
- Notes: In an effort to insure the regular maintenance of digital records and information systems, the Office of Vice President and General Counsel has assigned all data maintenance activities to Joe Smith, System Administrator. Smith has full authority to assign these duties to his staff.