You might want to start using a Subject line. I almost didn't read this
because I typically skip messages without a subject.
If you want to use TSM for document archive, there is one huge drawback.
This is the fact that you can't store searchable metadata about each
document, so you have to know path and filename of the document you want to
retrieve, or build a home grown solution for tracking that. If you have an
obvious path/naming convention so that it's easy to figure this out, then
great, but for the most part, I recommend researching document management
products.
There are products out there that are specifically designed for this,
keeping a database of documents along with searchable metadata, so you can
put in search phrases and easily find the information you need. Expiration,
copies, refresh, review, offsite, image, OCR text extraction, they really do
everything you could possibly want. In fact, if you have real image data,
not just text, there are document archiving products that analyze your
images and pull out key features to store in a text searchable format. Very
nifty. Some of them even do certified copies, ie, if you have a legal
requirement to guarantee a document wasn't changed since it was input, they
can watermark.
As far as obsolete file formats, some of these products can track file types
in your database, and as things become incompatible either the product or
you can search and find documents that need to be converted.
Hope this helps.
Alex Paschal
Freightliner, LLC
(503) 745-6850 phone/vmail
-----Original Message-----
From: M DeVault [mailto:tracylists AT YAHOO DOT COM]
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2003 11:38 AM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject:
I had someone come to me today quizzing me about
potential solutions for long term document storage.
Long term defined as up to 30 years.
Currently these paper documents are stored in bins in
a document storage facility that manages them. There
are *thousands* of bins, each with maybe 2000-4000
pieces of paper. The guy that came to me was
wondering about the feasibility of scanning these
documents to store electronically. I said something
like "not in my database you won't".
Anyway, what I'm wondering is what do other companies
do with data such as this? I can't imagine that it is
feasible to store this stuff online (especially since
some of it is 30 year old paper). There are legal
requirements regarding the storage of this stuff, and
I don't have a clue what it is. Even if we could
realistically scan and store online, you have to take
into account what type of file formats and media you
use, and will it be readable 30 years from now.
Would be interested to lean what your thoughts are.
Thanks.
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