Piql and OAIS compliance
Article describing how Piql is compliant with the OAIS framework
OAIS (Open Archival Information System) is a reference model for creation of a digital repository, ISO 14721:2024. It is often referred to as the main standard of digital preservation. It is mainly a framework giving guidelines to institutions on how to build a digital repository, but not a certification per se. Institutions can certify themselves as a “Trustworthy Digital Repository” under the ISO 16363 certification.
The Piql Services and our processes have been designed to match the OAIS entities and be compliant with institutions working after this reference model.
The core concepts of the OAIS framework are:
- Information packages: These are constructs that bundle digital content with associated metadata necessary for preservation and access. The OAIS model identifies three types of information packages: Submission Information Packages (SIP), Archival Information Packages (AIP) and Dissemination Information Packages (DIP).
- Functional Entities: The model outlines six primary functions that an archive should perform:
- Ingest: Processes for receiving and preparing information for storage.
- Archival Storage: Services and functions for the storage, maintenance, and retrieval of AIPs.
- Data Management: Maintaining databases that support the archive's operations.
- Administration: Overseeing the day-to-day operations and setting policies.
- Preservation Planning: Ensuring that information remains accessible and understandable over time.
- Access: Providing consumers with the means to locate and obtain information.
The OAIS model can be visualized like this:
To learn more about the core concepts and terminology of the OAIS model, click here for our own glossary article: Digital preservation glossary
piqlFilm as an archival information package (AIP)
One of the strongest differentiator of Piql is the self-contained information package piqlFilm. The piqlFilm contain
- File(s) +
- (Source code, semantic document, file format(s) specification) +
- Metadata (PDI1)
Piql writes the Archival Information Package (AIP) onto the piqlFilm and preserves the information ensuring its understanding and accessibility any time in the future, regardless of evolving technologies. Piql can also provide “Comprehensive Preservation” , if the data owner wants to preserve proprietary or unsustainable file formats. To ensure maximum readability and integrity, piqlFilm can also preserve a visual representation of the file content.
INGEST Piql receives information from the data owners and prepares it for storage using the software platform piqlConnect. The preparation contain several preservation actions, including:
- Virus checking
- File format identification
- Validation
- Normalization of file formats
- Metadata extraction or automatic metadata population.
We add all representation information and PDI metadata to be written on piqlFilm along with the data content.
ARCHIVAL STORAGE
piqlConnect can interact with other data archiving platforms through APIs. The system accepts AIPs and can write them to piqlFilm for long term storage. The system supports having multiple copies of data stored in the cloud and on near-line storage. The AIPs can be retrieved and made available through the Access entity in piqlConnect and shared with other systems.
DATA MANAGEMENT
piqlConnect maintains the database that contains the repository’s information. It executes query requests and generates results. The data platform interacts with the underlying database of the Piql System producing the piqlFilm.The database updates and manages the metadata and the information packages (AIPs). It also keep track of all piqlFilms produced and provide reports, presented in piqlConnect.
The platform provides a billing system as well as an overall dashboard with information of the system. It can be integrated with Warehouse Management Systems for physical management of piqlFilms in piqlVaults or external third-party locations. The database corresponding with piqlConnect is backed up regularly, but in a worst case scenario, it can also be reconstructed from the piqlFilm. This is done by reading the table of content written at the beginning of every piqlFilm, and then recreating the database.
This is one of the unique self-contained features of piqlFilm.
ACCESS
piqlConnect is a user-friendly client interface where the data owner can search their files by metadata and then retrieve the digital information. piqlConnect can also provide API integration to other data and document management systems for seamless exchange.
ADMINISTRATION An administration entity manages the daily operations of the archive. It attains submission agreements, defines which standards to accept and what rights the repository has, develops policies and standards. It handles customer service and relationship with data owners. The administration entity as defined in the OAIS model would be the local Piql service provider.
PRESERVATION METADATA
Metadata is information about information, and is the core of any information retrieval system. It should be written in a standard, well-known language, such as XML. The choice of metadata scheme greatly affects the digital repository’s long-term ability to maintain and preserve its digital assets.
OAIS defines metadata as Preservation Description Information (PDI):
- Reference Information (UUID)
- Provenance Information (history)
- Context Information
- Fixity Information (integrity)
- Access Rights
piqlConnect is easily configured to comply with any metadata standard and provides a few of the international acknowledged schemas like Dublin Core and ISAD(G) out of the box.
FILE FORMAT NORMALIZATION
Normalization means converting ingested files into a small number of pre-selected formats. We do this because some file formats are easier to preserve than others. piqlConnect offers functionality to do the normalization process automatically as part of the preparation
CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING PRESERVATION FILE FORMATS
piqlConnect assesses potential preservation file formats against the following criteria:
- The full specification of the format must be openly available (anyone with sufficient skills should be able to build software to read file format accurately).
- No patent, intellectual property rights or other rights attach to the format. (It should be possible to create the software for reading the file format without license from the patent holder).
- The format is widely endorsed and/or adopted (F.ex audio files should not be compressed)
- Our recommendations for well-suited long-term archival formats are based on the guidelines from some of the largest global archival institutions, like the Library of Congress (LoC), National Archives of UK, the Open Preservation Foundation and the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC).
Summary Piql Services meet all requirements for long-term digital preservation based on the OAIS model, providing a reliable, understandable and long-term access to managed digital objects to its designated communities, now and in the future.