Digital Storage Media

Digital records are best maintained in a managed environment that includes regular system back-ups and a disaster recovery plan. Digital records can be stored on-line, near-line, or off-line.

A good example of an on-line system is an electronic mail system. The downside to managing records overtime on-line can be the accumulation of records and the associated cost. This type of storage does afford immediate access and retrieval however, sharing records within a unit or work group can be problematic.

Examples of near-line storage include document management systems and electronic recordkeeping systems. A key benefit to using an electronic recordkeeping system is that these types of systems can provide a secure environment for documents with administrative and historical value. 1

For digital records that are stored off-line, the best storage media include magnetic tape and CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory). While this type of storage may be most familiar, this type of storage does require a certain amount of monitoring to guard against environmental degradation and changes in technology that will cause the information to be unreadable.

Recommended minimal storage conditions for "off-line" media include:

Externally label off-line media with a brief description of the content, software applications and versions used, date range of files, and date the content was transferred to the medium. It is also recommended that an internal label such as an ASCII "read me" text file be included in case the external label becomes separated from the media. Knowing which software applications and versions were used to create the digital records is a key element in insuring the readability and usability of the records over time.

In addition, digital records stored on physical media should be periodically refreshed to new media. It is recommended that digital media be refreshed every 3-5 years.

Notes

1. Documentum Records Manager is an example of a system that includes records management functionality. A fuller list can be found in Phil C. Bantin, Records Management in a Digital World, Research Bulletin, EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, Volume 2002, Issue 16, (viewed August 6, 2002). Available online to EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research subscribers.