Ensuring long term access to the vast range of information required for archiving is a huge problem that organisations are slowly waking up to.

The key challenges are:

• Media obsolescence. Information is held on unmanaged local stores (e.g laptops, optical media, local file servers) or central stores where its value is not recognised (central file servers, tape back-ups). In each case data can be lost because the media on which it is stored becomes unreadable or is replaced.
• Distributed and disjointed data. Another challenge is that information is stored but its location and value are not recorded making discovery and use very difficult. This challenge is compounded by information being held in diverse IT systems across several organisations.
• File format obsolescence. This challenge is a creation of the digital age – key information is held in files that may no longer be readable by future computer platforms and software. As information becomes more complex and integrated this threat is set to increase.

These challenges pose a significant barrier to implementing a successful digital archiving policy and must be confronted before selecting your preferred approach.