Electronic records management comes with a key challenge that analog records rarely face: what’s the best format for the record for long-term storage? When it comes to something like paper documents, the question doesn’t even really make sense: you just store what you’ve got.
With digital files, however, there are myriad different file formats to select, and not all of them are equally suited for long-term preservation. Instead, organizations must select “sustainable” formats that will continue to be usable and accessible for years to come. But what are sustainable formats for electronic records management?
We started addressing this question in Part 1 of this two-part series. There, we defined the characteristics that make a format sustainable, considered what makes other formats not sustainable, and then started listing sustainable options for text and spreadsheet files. Here in Part 2, we’ll continue our assessment of sustainable formats, this time for multimedia like audio, video, and image records. We’ll also take a quick look at long-term sustainability in storage media.
What are examples of sustainable formats for images?
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format): A longstanding file format originally developed in the 1980s to standardize how commercial scanners created images, TIFF files are uncompressed so they lose no data, though this means they may be larger in file size than compressed alternatives. They can also contain tags with descriptive data.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics): Created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which develops and maintains international standards for the Internet, PNG was originally intended as a replacement for the GIF file format. It uses a “lossless” algorithm, which means it can reduce file size without sacrificing image quality.
What are examples of sustainable formats for audio?
WAVE (Waveform Audio File Format): Though it’s a proprietary format developed by IBM and Microsoft, WAVE files work with such a wide array of audio players that it is sometimes used for long-term storage. WAVE files are uncompressed but lack metadata support, so necessary metadata would need to be manually added separately.
BWF (Broadcast WAVE Format): WAVE falls just short of being perfect for long-term preservation of electronic audio files; BWF is a modified WAVE file format designed specifically for long-term storage. Unlike the original WAVE format, it’s also open source and self-describing, which means it can incorporate descriptive and structural metadata. Best of all, it can be played with any software that supports the WAVE format, though users will need special software to add or edit metadata.
What are examples of sustainable formats for videos?
Video poses a special challenge for long-term storage: size. More than virtually any other record, videos can easily eat through storage space allotments, especially if the videos are uncompressed. A single movie-length, high-definition video file could require tens of gigs of space by itself. For that reason, for video files, uncompressed file formats are only recommended if the organization is unconcerned with storage space requirements. Otherwise, it’s recommended to use near-lossless file formats that compress the files with minimal-to-no impact on the data contained within the file. For more information about the particular complexities of storing digital video files, read the Smithsonian Institute’s article about “Digital Video Preservation.”
MPEG-4 (Moving Picture Experts Group): Though users have many options of video formats, as described above choosing the right one can be challenging. MPEG-4 is a common option. It’s based on an open standard with multiple encoding versions and sub-types. In general, for long-term storage, it’s best to use lossless or near-lossless compression options when creating MPEG-4 files.
What about storage media for long-term preservation of electronic records?
When thinking about managing electronic records for the long haul, it’s not just the file format that matters. What are you going to store these files on? It’s important to choose storage media that are widely accepted and standardized to ensure future accessibility and prevent obsolescence. The storage media should have a long lifespan and be resistant to deterioration. Opt for archival-quality media and storage environments with controlled temperature and humidity to prolong the life of electronic files.
Some organizations may choose to store these files in data centers they themselves host and manage; others will use cloud-based services. Several prominent technologies maintain cloud environments specifically intended for government use, like Amazon GovCloud. If you outsource storage, do due diligence to verify the conditions in which they maintain their data centers, employ data redundancy and backup strategies, and maintain security protocols appropriate to the nature of the data they are storing.
Overall, a well-thought-out and adaptable long-term preservation strategy is essential to safeguard electronic files and ensure their accessibility and usability for generations to come.
About PSL
PSL is a global outsource provider whose mission is to provide solutions that facilitate the movement of business-critical information between and among government agencies, business enterprises, and their partners. For more information, please visit or email info@penielsolutions.com.