Defining the Preserve Module

The Preserve Module addresses long-term archival and storage of organizations' essential content resides. The Preserve Module of ECM handles the long-term, safe storage and backup of static, unchanging information, as well as temporary storage of information that it is not desired or required to archive. For purely securing information microfilm is still viable, and is now offered in hybrid systems with electronic media and database-supported access. The decisive factor for all long-term storage systems is the timely planning and regular performance of migrations, in order to keep information available in the changing technical landscape. This ongoing policy is called Continuous Migration. The Preserve Module contains special viewers, conversion and migration tools, and long term storage media.

Optical Technology; Based on high density, blue laser recording technology, Ultra Density Optical (UDO) is the standard for professional archival storage. UDO delivers all the traditional strengths expected from optical storage such as record authenticity and media longevity, but at a much higher capacity and lower cost than previous generation products. UDO is designed specifically for the secure, long-term storage of high volume document images, emails, customer records, audio or video files, financial information and engineering documentation. UDO media is available in Write Once and Rewritable media formats, all of which are ISO standards. UDO Write Once technology enables regulatory compliance, best practice and audit trail management and is ideal for applications that require records be archived in an unalterable, non-erasable format for legal admissibility. The UDO technology roadmap calls for future generations of 60GB and 120GB media capacities with drive backward read compatibility to maximize investment protection and ensure long-term data access.

Content Addressed Storage (CAS); CAS is all increasingly used for archiving content. CAS is a storage methodology designed for rapid access to fixed content.

Microfilm (Microforms); Microforms are processed films that carry images of documents to users for transmission, storage, reading and printing. Microform images are commonly about 25 times reduced from the original document size. For special purposes greater optical reductions may be used. All microform images may be provided as positives or negatives. For use in readers and printers negative images are preferred, that is with a dark background; the low light available to be scattered gives cleaner images. Two formats are common: microfilm (reels) and microfiche (flat sheets). Microfilm (Aperture Cards, Microfiche, Microfilm Jackets, 16mm Roll Film); Fine-grain, high-resolution film used to record images reduced in size from the original; Microform in the shape of a strip or roll; To record microphotographs on film

Paper; centuries old and, with Microfilm, one of two ways to ensure that documents are readable 100 years from now, or longer.

Storage Area Network (SAN)/ Network Attached Storage (NAS); The NAS can be part of a SAN with hard disk storage directly attached to the network to provide information access. The SAN is a high-speed network that connects computer systems and storage elements and allows movement of data between computer systems and storage elements and among storage elements.