Technological and Procedural Suitability

You may also refer to Tutorial Section 5: Challenges, Avoiding Technological Obsolescence.

Organizational requirements:

• consider and adopt appropriate preservation strategies
• ensure appropriate infrastructure (hardware, software, facilities) for acquisition, storage, access
• establish technology management policy for repository (replacement, enhancement, funding)
• comply with relevant standards and best practices (supported by adequate expertise)
• undergo regular external audits on system components and performance

This is the TDR attribute where the organizational and technological responsibilities shift. The organizational responsibility is to provide input on technical issues. It is a managerial responsibility to establish the requirements that are to be met, based upon prevailing standards and practice, and to verify that the recommended technical actions are sound and well-implemented.

0101 This is the first primarily technological attribute. The technical role is to develop plans that will meet each requirement for the infrastructure or the necessary preservation strategies, and to ensure that the plans are executed successfully and fully with complete documentation and in compliance with established policies and standards. The organization actively seeks and evaluates appropriate preservation solutions and provides the means to implement them. As preservation strategies are developed, these need to be vetted.

$$$$ Organizations have developed an approach to IT investments, whether formal or informal. Existing IT planning mechanisms need to be adapted to the long-term needs of digital preservation to develop an appropriate technological infrastructure. There is a need to plan for significant technological changes and their attendant costs.

Background Note: Organizations often start with this component of the framework, but the preceding and succeeding components are as or more critical to the success of the program.