conrad we’re not there, yet!

04/13/2304/13/23 National Archives and Records AdministrationNational Archives and Records Administration 11

The Electronic Records Archives (ERA) Program

We’re not there, yet!We’re not there, yet!

Fall 2006 MARAC Meeting, Morristown, NJFall 2006 MARAC Meeting, Morristown, NJ

Mark ConradMark ConradArchives SpecialistArchives Specialist

ERA Research DivisionERA Research Division


All statements, opinions, and conjectures are All statements, opinions, and conjectures are my own unless otherwise attributed.my own unless otherwise attributed.

Caveat Emptor!Caveat Emptor!


Electronic RecordsElectronic RecordsNARA’s ChallengesNARA’s Challenges

ScopeScope The Entire Federal GovernmentThe Entire Federal Government

VarietyVariety Different Types of RecordsDifferent Types of Records

ComplexityComplexity Records in Different FormatsRecords in Different Formats

VolumeVolume Enormous Number of RecordsEnormous Number of Records

ObsolescenceObsolescence Constantly Changing Constantly Changing TechnologyTechnology


Anticipated Incoming Permanent Anticipated Incoming Permanent Electronic Records CollectionsElectronic Records Collections

within the next 15 yearswithin the next 15 years

Year 20072007 20082008 20092009 20102010 20112011 20122012 20132013 20142014 20182018 20222022

Projected Accumulated

NARAHoldings

in petabytes(1 PB = 1,024 TB)

3.63.6 5.55.5 7.87.8 10.610.6 14.114.1 19.019.0 25.825.8 35.835.8 131131 347347


How NARA RespondedHow NARA Responded The ERA VisionThe ERA Vision

ERA will be a comprehensive, systematic, and dynamic means of

preservingpreserving and providing continuing accesscontinuing accessto any typeany type of electronic record

free from dependencefree from dependence on any specific hardware or software,

created anywherecreated anywhere in the Federal Government.


We’re not there, yet!We’re not there, yet!

A great deal of progress in A great deal of progress in empirical empirical researchresearch

Astonishingly little Astonishingly little practicalpractical experience experience within the archival profession as a wholewithin the archival profession as a whole

A lot more A lot more theoreticaltheoretical research/writing research/writing


Empirical ResearchEmpirical Research

Areas of ProgressAreas of Progress Infrastructure-independent repositoriesInfrastructure-independent repositories ScalabilityScalability

Areas for Further ResearchAreas for Further Research Software and hardware-dependenceSoftware and hardware-dependence


Practical ExperiencePractical Experience

Why So Little Progress?Why So Little Progress? It takes resources?It takes resources? It takes partnerships?It takes partnerships?

Some Reasons for HopeSome Reasons for Hope NHPRC projectsNHPRC projects Leveraging other folks workLeveraging other folks work


NationalScienceFoundation

San Diego San Diego Supercomputer Supercomputer

CenterCenter

Some of NARA’s Research PartnersSome of NARA’s Research Partners

National Center National Center for for Supercomputing Supercomputing ApplicationsApplications

Army Army ResearchResearchLaboratoryLaboratory

NISTNIST

…and many others!


National Coordination Office forNational Coordination Office forNetworking Information TechnologyNetworking Information Technology

Research and Development (NCO/NITRD) Research and Development (NCO/NITRD)


FY 2007 FY 2007 NITRD Supplement to the President's Budget

See http://www.nitrd.gov/pubs/2007supplement/


FY 2007 FY 2007 NITRD Supplement to the President's Budget:

Some Highlights

Human-Computer Interaction and Information Management Needs Include:

Next-generation methods, tools, and technologies to make it possible to access, integrate, analyze, and efficiently manage massive stores of widely distributed, heterogeneous information (e.g., science and engineering research data, Federal records)


FY 2007 FY 2007 NITRD Supplement to the President's Budget

Some Highlights

Human-Computer Interaction and Information Management Needs Include:

Federal information management architecture testbeds: To evaluate issues in petascale collections of information

governed by differing requirements (e.g., national security, personal privacy)

Long-term preservation: Maintenance of and access to long-lived science and

engineering data collections and Federal records


Some Possible AlliesSome Possible Allies

PDES, Inc. PDES, Inc. http://pdesinc.aticorp.org/http://pdesinc.aticorp.org/

NASCIO NASCIO https://www.nascio.org/https://www.nascio.org/

Open Grid Forum Open Grid Forum http://www.ogf.org/http://www.ogf.org/

Others! Others! (look for phrases like data management)(look for phrases like data management)


Theoretical Research/WritingTheoretical Research/Writing

How Do You Evaluate It?How Do You Evaluate It? One Size Does One Size Does Not NecessarilyNot Necessarily Fit All Fit All No Substitute for Dirty Hands!No Substitute for Dirty Hands!


Your Contacts in theYour Contacts in the

ERA Program Management OfficeERA Program Management Office

Mark Conrad [email protected]

ERA Research Papershttp://www.archives.gov/era/research/research-papers.html

ERA CommunicationsERA Communications(301) 837-0740

[email protected] ERA Website is

http://www.archives.gov/era

conrad we’re not there, yet!

Technology

federal records

era vision era

research software

information management

engineering research

era communications

era website

data management