U S National Archives and Records Administration NARA

U. S. National Archives and Records Administration NARA Explores Possible Uses of XML Presented to ERPANET Workshop Fynnette Eaton National Archives Records Administration 10 October 2002 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 1

NARA’s Strategic Response - ERA Archivist’s Directive NARA’s Strategic Response The Electronic Records Archives (ERA) Program is NARA’s strategic response to the problem of electronic records. Its goal is to enable NARA to preserve and provide access to any type of electronic record created anywhere in the Federal Government. 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 2

NARA’s Strategic Response - ERA Archivist’s Directive ERA Vision Statement “ERA will authentically preserve and provide access to any kind of electronic record, free from dependency on any specific hardware or software, enabling NARA to carry out its mission into the future. ” John W. Carlin Archivist of the United States 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 3

Electronic Records Challenge NARA’s Current Electronic Records System • 30 years of experience • Simple Files (i. e. Structured databases, tables, etc. ) • Currently expanding preservation methods and storage capabilities 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 4

Electronic Records Challenge A Tidal Wave is Coming Clinton Administration – 40 million email messages State Department – 25 million electronic diplomatic messages Department of Defense – 54 million images from electronic official military personnel files annually Census Bureau – 600 to 800 million image files (2000 census) 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 5

Recent Challenges • Diversity – office automation, image, video and audio formats • Complexity – decision support systems, GIS, applets and interactive WWW pages • Volume, both in bytes and files • Rapidly changing nature of systems used to create records 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 6

What do we need to do? • Overcome technological obsolescence in a manner that preserves demonstrably authentic records • Build a dynamic solution that incorporates the expectation of continuing change in information technology and in the records its produces. • Find ways to take advantage of continuing progress in information technology so as to maintain and improve both performance and customer service 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 7

Transformation Strategies • Includes Persistent Object Preservation approach emerging from collaborative research in which NARA is participating. • Does not preserve records in original technological state. • Requires precise specification of archival requirements related to context, structure and presentation of records and the collections to which they belong. 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 8

Persistent Object Preservation (POP) • Application of Distributed Object Computational Testbed (DOCT) technologies to archival preservation and access • Comprehensive, scalable, infrastructure independent, flexible • Established in the core technologies of the next generation National Information Infrastructure • Implementation of Reference Model for an Open Archival Information System (NASA-Consultative Committee on Space Data Systems) 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 9

Preservation Issues Uses of XML • XML DTDs or XML Schema to manage attributes and semantics • XML based tools to mediate between heterogeneous collections • XTM (XML Topic Map) DTDs to manage relationships. Use of XSL; Stylesheets to manage presentation 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 10

Additional Initiatives • San Diego Supercomputer Center - Virtual Data Grids • NARA’s Electronic Records Management initiative, one of 24 e-Government Initiatives 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 11

Electronic Records Initiative • “System Design Requirements for Electronic Records Preservation and Future Use: E-Mail with Attachments” – Discusses content requirements, context requirements and structure requirements – Request records be transferred in standard markup language, such as XML • Other formats to be considered: – Image files – PDF 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 12

NARA’s Strategic Response - ERA Requirements • Persistent – To manage and access the records over time. • Authentic – To ensure that these are the original records – Records that are created with attached documentary information • Scalable – To grow and adapt to increasing volumes and evolving types of electronic records – To serve a variety of user groups 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 13

Keys to Success Government and Private Sector National Science Foundation NASA San Diego Super Computer IEE Army Research Laboratory 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 14

ERA Timeline 1998 - 2001 (Past) • The Archivist established the ERA Program • Research partners are formed to find solutions to the electronics archiving challenge • Contractor Team hired to assist with program management 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 15

ERA Timeline 2001 - 2002 (Present) • • 4/02 Concept of Operations Requirements L 0 1/7/2022 7/02 Analysis of Alternatives Continue Research & Development Key Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) Chartered Key Program documents finalized Continued staffing of the Project Management Office (PMO) 8/02 9/02 4 QFY 03 1 QFY 04 Requirements L 1 OMB 300 Request for Proposal Contract Award Business Case Analysis Request For Information RFI) National Archives and Records Administration 16

ERA Timeline 2003 -2007 (Future) • Official Military Personnel Files • Test online public access • Request for Proposal (RFP) • Award to Performance-based Contractor • Continue Research and Development • Census 2006 (Mountain Information) 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 17

Contact Information Electronic Records Archives Program Management Office Fynnette Eaton (301) 837 -2007 ERA Website: http: //www. archives. gov/electronic_records_archives/index. html 1/7/2022 National Archives and Records Administration 18