Technology to Support Digital Preservation
An Update from the PERSIST Technology and Research Working Group
Meg Phillips
International Council on Archives
US National Archives
• UNESCO Recommendation
• PERSIST and the Digital Preservation Eco-System
• The PERSIST Software Foundation
• Developing the Sustainable Business Model
1. The challenge
2. UNESCO
response
3. Existing eco-
system
4. PERSIST
Software
Foundation
5. Sustainable
business
model
1. THE CHALLENGE
• Documentary heritage now digital
• At risk from format and software
obsolescence
• Mission of libraries, archives, other
memory institutions to preserve
documentary heritage
• Can’t do it alone!
2. UNESCO’S RESPONSE: RECOMMENDATION ON DOCUMENTARY
HERITAGE
• Adopted at the 38th General
Conference, November 2015
• Points to Memory of the World
programme as coordinator of global
response
• Provides framework for world’s
memory institutions to work together
3. EXISTING ECO-SYSTEM:
Already an active international Digital Preservation Community
• Coalitions, networks
• Conferences, forums and workshops
• Research and development in government, universities, industry
Producing:
• Best practices, tools, technical registries
PROVIDERS & ENABLERES
COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS
INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS
PRACITIONERS
Professional associations of libraries and archives:
Open source tools and services
IFLA, OCLC, ICA, OPF, DPE, DPC, DCC
OPEN SOURCE
COMMUNITY PRACTICES
Preservation solutions by Preservica, ExLibris, Archivum, etc.
Providers: Associations (Open Preservation Foundation - OPF), libraries, universities, etc.
Universities, libraries and archives Cloud providers: Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, etc.
FUNDING Government, private, national and international funding agencies and research foundations
ARCHIVES
LIBRARIES
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
Technical registry
Characterization and attribution tools
Media transfer tools
TECHNOLOGIES
File type identification
File format migration
Content rendering tools
Software emulation and virtualization
Storage infrastructure
Standards and professional guidelines
EXISTING ECO-SYSTEM
WHERE CAN PERSIST ADD VALUE?
•UNESCO speaks for whole world’s
heritage
•PERSIST can distribute capabilities
more evenly around world
•On behalf of world libraries and archives
it can:
• Gather requirements
• Evaluate and accredit tools
• Maintain access to legacy software
Policy and regulations: lifecycle management of digital technologies, legacy software deposit, licensing, and dissemination
UNESCO PERSIST PROVIDERS & ENABLERES PRACITIONERS
Best practices, standardization, and certification of tools and preservation solutions
Access to legacy software licenses and virtualized legacy software
COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS
INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS
Open source tools and services
OPEN SOURCE
Preservation solutions by Preservica, ExLibris, Archivum, etc.
Providers: Associations (Open Preservation Foundation - OPF), libraries, universities, etc.
Universities, libraries and archives Cloud providers: Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, etc.
FUNDING Government, private, national and international funding agencies and research foundations
Professional associations of libraries and archives:
IFLA, OCLC, ICA, OPF, DPE, DPC, DCC
COMMUNITY PRACTICES
ARCHIVES
LIBRARIES
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
Policy and regulations: lifecycle management of digital technologies, legacy software deposit, licensing, and dissemination
UNESCO PERSIST PROVIDERS & ENABLERES PRACITIONERS
Best practices, standardization, and certification of tools and preservation solutions
Access to legacy software licenses and virtualized legacy software
COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS
INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS
Open source tools and services
OPEN SOURCE
Preservation solutions by Preservica, ExLibris, Archivum, etc.
Providers: Associations (Open Preservation Foundation - OPF), libraries, universities, etc.
Universities, libraries and archives Cloud providers: Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, etc.
FUNDING Government, private, national and international funding agencies and research foundations
Professional associations of libraries and archives:
IFLA, OCLC, ICA, OPF, DPE, DPC, DCC
COMMUNITY PRACTICES
ARCHIVES
LIBRARIES
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
EXISTING ECO-SYSTEM
4. PERSIST SOFTWARE FOUNDATION
Foundation being explored by ICA
Separate, legal entity able to:
• Negotiate rights to use obsolete
commercial software
• Host virtualised instances of obsolete
software
• Provide access and manage use by
libraries, archives, etc.
UNESCO PERSIST Programme
PERSIST Software Foundation
Policy & Regulations
Workgroup
Technology and
Research (T&R)
Workgroup
Best Practices &
Standardization
Legacy Software
Registration and Licenses
Legacy Software
Hosting
Legacy Software
Services
Business and technology
partnerships
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS
Memory institutions
Research institutions Preservation solution providers
Cultural institutes and initiatives
Governments
UNESCO MEMBER STATES Policy makers Professional
organizations
Digital arts community
Licensing experts ICT community
CLIENTS
Memory institutions
Preservation solution providers
UNESCO GOVERNING BODIES
Secretariat
Field Offices
Executive Board
General Conference
PERSIST PROGRAMME AND PSF
5. SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL
• Leverage previous software virtualisation initiatives.
• Create a business model and
• Create a legal framework for distribution of virtualized legacy software
• Develop partnerships with industry
• Develop a fully operational, product grade service that is economically sustainable
DISCUSSION / FEEDBACK
What services would your institution find most helpful for the PERSIST Software Foundation to provide?
What obsolete software should be high priority for acquiring a means of access?
Meg Phillips
ICA Programme Commission
US National Archives and Records Administration
@meg_phillips7
heritage
content
Memory
Institution Access,
Collection
Management and
Digital Preservation
Collection
Certification of
resources
Media Transfer Tools
Programme
Best Practice Guides
File Type Identification tools
Characterisation & Attribution tools
Emulation tools
Virtual machine
Technical Registry
Migration tools
E-Learning products
Rendering tools
Preservation Solution Provider Network
transfers
access
Strategic
Direction
Requirements
Analysis
ICT Industry
Philanthropy
UNESCO
Partners/
Stakeholders
Software
Foundation
Registration &
Licences
Software
Hosting
Software
Services
Technology
Partnerships
PERSIST
PROJECT GOVERNANCE
PERSIST Programme Committee
Chair: David Fricker
Memory of the World Programme Committee
Chair: Dr Abdulla Elreyes
Technology and Research Working Group
Chair: Natasa Milic-Frayling
Policy Working Group
Chair: Robert Buckley
Best Practice Working Group
Chair: Ingrid Parent