Digital continuity
Encyclopedia
Digital continuity is the ability to maintain the digital information of a creator in such a way that the information will continue to be available, as needed, despite changes in digital storage technology. It focuses on making sure that information is complete, available and therefore usable. Activities involved with managing digital continuity include information management
, information risk assessment and managing technical environments, including file format
conversion. Digital continuity management is particularly important to organisations that have a duty to maintain accountability, and to act transparently
and legally, such as government and infrastructure companies.. Digital continuity is also an important issue for organisations responsible for maintaining repositories of information in digital form over time, such as archives and libraries.
and business continuity
. While there is some overlap among these areas, they should be treated as related but separate issues. Business continuity focuses on making sure that critical business functions will be available to customers, suppliers, regulators, and other entities that must have access to those functions. Digital preservation focuses on long term strategies and requirements for storing digital information in an effort to stabilize the collection of digital records. Digital continuity is concerned with the ability to make digitally preserved information continuously usable. What constitutes usable will be different depending on each organization's needs.
For the purposes of digital continuity, The National Archives believes digital information is usable when one can:
began a digital continuity project for public use in 2007. The project is based on a four-stage process for managing digital information effectively in organisations:
At Archives New Zealand
, the digital continuity project is entitled the Digital Continuity Action Plan. The Archives New Zealand project is focused on ensuring digital information is available in the future, that the information remains authentic and reliable, and that the public has continuous access through a proactive approach to maintaining digital information.
The Digital Preservation Coalition
(DPC), which concerns itself with digital preservation issues including digital continuity, has published reports advocating the assessment of digital preservation needs in the UK, and has been consulted in the creation of the Digital Continuity Action Plan at Archives New Zealand. The National Archives is also a member of the DPC.
Other digital continuity projects are underway at the Welsh Assembly Government
in conjunction with the University of Wales, Newport
., and the National Library of Australia
.
Information management
Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
, information risk assessment and managing technical environments, including file format
File format
A file format is a particular way that information is encoded for storage in a computer file.Since a disk drive, or indeed any computer storage, can store only bits, the computer must have some way of converting information to 0s and 1s and vice-versa. There are different kinds of formats for...
conversion. Digital continuity management is particularly important to organisations that have a duty to maintain accountability, and to act transparently
Open government
Open government is the governing doctrine which holds that citizens have the right to access the documents and proceedings of the government to allow for effective public oversight. In its broadest construction it opposes reason of state and racist considerations, which have tended to legitimize...
and legally, such as government and infrastructure companies.. Digital continuity is also an important issue for organisations responsible for maintaining repositories of information in digital form over time, such as archives and libraries.
Focus of digital continuity
The focus of digital continuity differs from that of digital preservationDigital preservation
Digital preservation is the set of processes, activities and management of digital information over time to ensure its long term accessibility. The goal of digital preservation is to preserve materials resulting from digital reformatting, and particularly information that is born-digital with no...
and business continuity
Business continuity
Business continuity is the activity performed by an organization to ensure that critical business functions will be available to customers, suppliers, regulators, and other entities that must have access to those functions. These activities include many daily chores such as project management,...
. While there is some overlap among these areas, they should be treated as related but separate issues. Business continuity focuses on making sure that critical business functions will be available to customers, suppliers, regulators, and other entities that must have access to those functions. Digital preservation focuses on long term strategies and requirements for storing digital information in an effort to stabilize the collection of digital records. Digital continuity is concerned with the ability to make digitally preserved information continuously usable. What constitutes usable will be different depending on each organization's needs.
For the purposes of digital continuity, The National Archives believes digital information is usable when one can:
- find it when needed
- open it as needed
- work with it in the way needed
- understand what it is and what it is about
- trust that it is what it says it is.
Digital continuity projects
The National Archives in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
began a digital continuity project for public use in 2007. The project is based on a four-stage process for managing digital information effectively in organisations:
- Step 1: Plan for action: All employees in the organization need to be aware of the digital continuity project and have an understanding of what digital continuity means for the information they create. This step also includes assessing existing work practices in order to ensure that people working within the system have the potential to deliver continuity.
- Step 2: Define your digital continuity requirements: Ensure that an effective records management system is in place so that it is understood what information needs to be kept and how it will be used over time, regardless of change.
- Step 3: Assess and manage risks to digital continuity: This step involves a digital continuity risk assessment which highlights areas of concern. This may include identifying file formats in current use which are susceptible to obsolescence. Identifying risks will help mitigate potential problems.
- Step 4: Maintain digital continuity: This step ensures that your organization will be able to continue to use the digital information it produces in the future through changes in technology. This involves embedding the concept of digital continuity into existing business processes.
At Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand is the National Archives of New Zealand, with overall responsibility for government recordkeeping and for community archives. Since 1 February 2011 it has been part of the Department of Internal Affairs...
, the digital continuity project is entitled the Digital Continuity Action Plan. The Archives New Zealand project is focused on ensuring digital information is available in the future, that the information remains authentic and reliable, and that the public has continuous access through a proactive approach to maintaining digital information.
The Digital Preservation Coalition
Digital Preservation Coalition
The Digital Preservation Coalition is a UK-based non-profit limited company which seeks to secure the preservation of digital resources in the UK and internationally to secure the global digital memory and knowledge base.-History:...
(DPC), which concerns itself with digital preservation issues including digital continuity, has published reports advocating the assessment of digital preservation needs in the UK, and has been consulted in the creation of the Digital Continuity Action Plan at Archives New Zealand. The National Archives is also a member of the DPC.
Other digital continuity projects are underway at the Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
in conjunction with the University of Wales, Newport
University of Wales, Newport
The University of Wales, Newport is a university based in Newport, South Wales. The university has two campuses; Caerleon on the northern outskirts of the city and a £35 million campus on the banks of the River Usk in Newport city centre opened in 2011...
., and the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
.
See also
- Information Lifecycle ManagementInformation Lifecycle ManagementInformation Lifecycle Management refers to a wide-ranging set of strategies for administering storage systems on computing devices. Specifically, four categories of storage strategies may be considered under the auspices of ILM.-Policy:...
- Business continuityBusiness continuityBusiness continuity is the activity performed by an organization to ensure that critical business functions will be available to customers, suppliers, regulators, and other entities that must have access to those functions. These activities include many daily chores such as project management,...
- Digital preservationDigital preservationDigital preservation is the set of processes, activities and management of digital information over time to ensure its long term accessibility. The goal of digital preservation is to preserve materials resulting from digital reformatting, and particularly information that is born-digital with no...
- Digital Preservation CoalitionDigital Preservation CoalitionThe Digital Preservation Coalition is a UK-based non-profit limited company which seeks to secure the preservation of digital resources in the UK and internationally to secure the global digital memory and knowledge base.-History:...