Data Analysis Part One: Preservation Guidelines for Electronic Records

Electronic Records Storage Systems

An electronic records storage system is an organized set of hardware, software, people, policies, and procedures designed to store electronic records safely and allow for their effective retrieval and maintenance. For such a system to operate effectively, you must follow a number of essential guidelines. These recommended guidelines for systems used to store and preserve electronic records are based on generally accepted best practices in archives. These are designed to help ensure that any storage system you use will be able to support the records you store in them and protect them from unauthorized modification, transfer, or deletion.

Preservation Guidelines

Preservation File Formats

In addition to guidelines for records storage systems it is important to consider the types of files you will store in your system. There is a small number of criteria for good preservation formats, and any formats you decide to use for the preservation of electronic records should follow these basic criteria. Use these criteria to determine the preservation formats best for your institution, keeping in mind that the most efficient way to implement preservation formats is at the creation of the file, rather than after the file’s active use. Use these criteria, when deciding on preservation formats.

File Format Criteria

These guidelines represent an ideal environment for the preservation of electronic records.  Comparing the data collected during your Electronic Records Inventory and your Technology Infrastructure Checklist to these guidelines will allow you to identify areas for improvement that will be addressed in your Needs Assessment.