Devising a strategy to preserve your digital records

In order to manage the preservation of digital records over time, and ensure their continued accessibility, agencies must be proactive. They should develop and implement agency-wide strategies to identify, manage, preserve and ensure ongoing access to their digital records. A preservation strategy is necessary in order to deal with the ever-present problem of technological obsolescence.

Which preservation strategy will work best for your agency will depend upon several factors. Consider the technology you currently have, and what is likely to appear in the near future. You should also undertake risk and cost-benefit analyses, to determine what strategy is the most financially feasible, while considering your agency's accountability obligations. Whatever preservation strategy you choose for your digital records, you should carefully plan its implementation.

An agency's digital records preservation strategy must reflect its legislative obligations, industry standards and best practice. In order to develop your strategy, you will therefore need to understand your records requirements.

An effective digital records preservation strategy should incorporate formal policies and procedures governing the agency's approach to the long-term management of its digital records. It should also establish a mechanism to ensure that the policies and procedures are updated as appropriate.

An digital records preservation strategy should be supported by a plan for its implementation that is promulgated to relevant staff. Implementation can involve:

• policies, procedures and guidelines that provide a formal framework for implementing the strategy
• manuals, information, reference sheets and training for staff to ensure the strategy is correctly implemented. Depending on the approach adopted, all operational staff may require training, not only records and IT staff.

The National Archives can also provide advice about creating systems in your agency to manage digital records that you need to keep for a long time.

Further information

Contact the Agency Service Centre.