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A Framework for the Development of Archival Information Systems

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A Framework for the Development of Archival Information Systems 2006:62 LICENTIATE T H E SI S A Framework for the Development of Archival Information Systems Hugo Quisbert Luleå University of Technology Department of Business Administration and Social Sciences Division of Systems Sciences 2006:62|: 02-757|: -c -- 06 ⁄62 -- A FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARCHIVAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS Hugo Quisbert Licentiate Thesis Luleå University of Technology Department of Business Administration and Social Sciences Division of Systems Sciences ii iii ABSTRACT In this thesis a framework for the development of Archival Information Systems are proposed. IT community and long-term digital preservation research has not addressed the development of digital archival tools. The IT community addresses Archives and digital archiving almost as a storage place aimed for backup services. Long-term digital preservation research has put efforts in metadata research, and in the use of different preservation techniques in order to preserve digitally stored information. Archival Information Systems are and their development is a natural part of the field of Long-term Digital Preservation. Archival Information Systems are aimed to receive maintain, support digital preservation issues and give access to digitally stored information. This digitally stored information consists in different kind of documents or records physically manifested in computer files, databases, etc. Archival Information Systems are a special kind of Information Systems. As every specialized kind of Information System, Archival Information Systems development must be preceded by a specialized way of thinking. This thesis proposes a specialized way of thinking, a framework, for the development of Archival Information Systems. The proposed framework is based on The Records Continuum Model and The OAIS Reference Model as major fundaments. The framework consists on six levels of substitutionality. The lowest level, the software, is prone to high substitutionality. The highest levels are constituted by The OAIS Reference Model and The Records Continuum as the highest. The framework is a theoretical approach to Archival Information Systems Development and explained in terms of epistemological and ontological for it. Some important epistemological and ontological principles for Archival Information Systems are: Dealing with Archival Information Systems is dealing with making digital recorded information accessible. Records are logical rather than physical entities. Records have continuing value by means of information exchangeability. Forward Compatibility is achieved by means of open attitude and open standards. Accessibility and long-term preservation is stretching the longevity of records across time-space. This framework had been evaluated theoretically based on the expertise from Information Systems developers working in archival organisations and long-term digital preservation issues. This evaluation show strengths and weaknesses in the framework and the need of further development of it, and calls for putting forward efforts in deeper research of the framework, Archival Information Systems and long-term digital preservation issues. iv v TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION __________________________________________1 Background__________________________________________________ 1 The LDB Project __________________________________________________ 2 Digital Preservation – A Prerequisite for Accessibility_____________________ 3 A Digital Phenomenon is Identified ______________________________ 4 Accessibility Problems______________________________________________ 5 Availability Problems ______________________________________________ 5 Storage Media Problems ____________________________________________ 5 Hardware and Software Dependency___________________________________ 6 Solving the Problems of Digital Preservation ____________________________ 7 Problems Solving the Problem of Digital Preservation _____________________ 8 Remarks on Definitions and Concepts Used in the Thesis ___________ 10 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES, AIMS AND SCOPE _______________11 The Thesis and its Context_____________________________________ 11 Structure of the Thesis ________________________________________ 14 EXPLORING THE FIELD OF LONG-TERM DIGITAL PRESERVATION _________________________________________15 The Overall Research Process__________________________________ 18 THEORY ________________________________________________21 Information Systems _________________________________________ 21 The Role of Information Processing Tools in the Archival Context ___ 23 Fundamental Concepts of Archival Theory_______________________ 24 The Archival Framework___________________________________________ 24 The OAIS Reference Model____________________________________ 25 The Concept of Information in the OAIS Reference Model ________________ 27 Archival Information Systems Existentiality ______________________ 31 Software Engineering_________________________________________ 31 The World of Records ________________________________________ 32 The Concept of Record ____________________________________________ 33 Records Management______________________________________________ 35 The Records Continuum Model ________________________________ 36 A FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARCHIVAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS _________________________________41 The Concept of Forward Compatibility __________________________ 41 Levels of Substitutionality _____________________________________ 41 Towards a Theorization of Archival Information Systems __________ 42 vi The Framework Explained ____________________________________ 44 The Epistemology of the OAIS Reference Model _______________________ 45 The Ontology of the OAIS Reference Model ___________________________ 45 The Epistemology of the Records Continuum Model_____________________ 46 The Ontology of the Records Continuum Model ________________________ 47 Levels of Substitutionality – Revisited ___________________________ 47 The Epistemology of Archival Information Systems _____________________ 48 The Ontology of Archival Information Systems_________________________ 49 A Tentative Definition of Archival Information Systems____________ 50 EMPIRICAL EVALUATION OF THE FRAMEWORK___________51 Method ____________________________________________________ 51 Data Gathered ______________________________________________ 52 Analysis____________________________________________________ 54 CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION _________________________57 My View of Archival Information Systems _______________________ 57 The Metaphysical Level of the Framework_______________________ 59 Research Observations _______________________________________ 60 The Concept of Societal Memory Information Systems___________________ 60 Managing the Long-term Digital Preservation Knowledge ________________ 61 Some Methodological Reflections_______________________________ 62 The Credibility of the Thesis _______________________________________ 62 The References Dilemma __________________________________________ 65 Have I Used the Methods in the Right way? ___________________________ 66 Have I Discussed the Subject Deeply Enough? _________________________ 66 Could I Have Done Differently?_____________________________________ 66 Have I Achieved my Research Goal? _________________________________ 67 FURTHER RESEARCH____________________________________69 SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLES ____________________________71 Paper 1 – The Information Life Cycle – Issues in Long-term Digital Preservation ________________________________________________ 71 Paper 2 – Foundations for Archival Information Systems Development71 Paper 3 – Evaluation of the Archival Information Systems Thinking Framework _________________________________________________ 71 REFERENCES ___________________________________________73 APPENDIX 1 _____________________________________________79 THE INFORMATION LIFE CYCLE – ISSUES IN LONG-TERM DIGITAL PRESERVATION_________________________________85 FOUNDATIONS FOR ARCHIVAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT ________________________________________105 vii EVALUATION OF THE ARCHIVAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS THINKING FRAMEWORK ________________________________105 viii ix TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1 – Digital Preservation Components _________________________________ 4 Figure 2 –What a bit stream represents._____________________________________ 7 Figure 3 – My Research Process__________________________________________ 19 Figure 4 – An Information System_________________________________________ 21 Figure 5 – A simplistic model for computing ________________________________ 23 Figure 6 – Four Aspects of Archiving ______________________________________ 24 Figure 7 – The OAIS Reference Model _____________________________________ 26 Figure 8 – Obtaining Information from Data ________________________________ 27 Figure 9 – Information Package Concepts and Relationships ___________________ 28 Figure 10 – The OMG’s Model Driven Architecture __________________________ 32 Figure 11 – The Records Continuum Model _________________________________ 38 Figure 12 – Levels of Substitionality_______________________________________ 42 Figure 13 – Four Information Systems Paradigms____________________________ 44 Figure 14 – Levels of Substitutionality – Revisited ____________________________ 47 Figure 15 – Ideal Approach to Preservation and Access _______________________ 52 Figure 16 – Everything and suggested principles within it______________________ 53 Figure 17 – Levels of Substitutionality - Revision 2 ___________________________ 59 x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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