From Clio Infrastructure

Data storage

The harmonized data will be kept permanently for future use by other researchers. The DANS Electronic Archiving System EASY is well suited for this aim.

Also, the databases as harvested from the distributed hubs also need to be archived in a long-lasting archival format and with persistent identifiers. DANS has excellent facilities to carry out this task, providing, among other things:

- Standard metadata formats for archival description.

- A conversion routines for migrating the data to an application independent format. The DANS project Migration to Intermediate XML for Electronic Data MIXED provides a solution for tabular data, such as databases and spreadsheets, and is hence perfectly suited for the needs of CLIO-INFRA. The method converts data tables from regular data formats to interim XML-formats and vice versa, as, on request, the data will again have to be supplied in a regular format. The software is structured as a service-oriented architecture with plug-ins for various file types.

- Permanent and secure storage.

- Straightforward rights management and access levels (e.g., it is possible to use DANS as a “dark archive” as long as the distributed hubs provide the data).

- A persistent identifier architecture and resolver based on URNs. Long-term archiving in other trusted digital archives complying with the requirements of the international Data Seal of Approval (DSA), is desirable. The hubs in the CLIO-INFRA network will aim to upgrade their status to Trusted Digital Repositories.