Db Metadata

Summary

• Archival Metadata
• Preservation Metadata and the OAIS Information Model
  • Content Information
  • Preservation Description Information
• Standards
  • Representation Standards
• Registry

Archival Metadata

With all the different hardware that has existed over the years, how do we make sure we can still access our data?

Preservation Metadata and the OAIS Information Model

Open Archival Information System

Submission Information Package (SIP) := the information that is submitted with the data that is going to be archived at the point in time where the archiver receives this information.

Archival Information Package (AIP) := the information package that is used by the archive, during the period of time when the data is in the archive.

Dissemination Information Package (DIP) := the metadata package that is used as portions of the information in the archive is shared with others.

Content Information

Content Data Object (CDO) is the bitstream that is being preserved.

Representational Information (RI):

• Metadata that translates the bit stream(s) of the CDO into accessible, meaningful knowledge
• Structural
  • The format, data structures that makes the stream(s) into characters, numbers, pixels, arrays, tables, encoding, (Computer Oriented)
• Semantics
  • The meaning, English Prose, temperature measurements, etc (Human Oriented)

Content Data Object Description (CDO):

• Human readable data structure description
• Structural type
  • Class of objects
    • image, sound, text, db, web doc, executable, etc.
  • Infrastructure of complex object
• File description
  • Formats used to access and render the object
• Installation Requirement
  • Size
  • Access inhibitors
    • encrypt, watermarks
  • Access facilitators
    • time markers, links
  • Significant Properties
    • color, layout, links, “look and feel”
  • Functionality
    • e.g. embedded animation
  • Description of rendered contents
  • Documentation

Preservation Description Information

Standards

Standards for archival metadata are not mature

• ISO/IEC 11179 Specification and Standardization of Data Elements
• OAIS
• OASIS Repository (for XML schema)

Representation Standards

Representation are not mature either:

• XML
• XML Schema
• OWL
• RDF
• Dublin Core
• XML METS
• VERS
• AIP
• MOF

Registry

Several elements are necessary to be successful in the creation and evolution of a metadata registry

• initial creation of metadata schemata
• subsequent creation of new metadata schemata must be a controlled process
• a process must be developed for the long-term controlled evolution, maintenance, and use of metadata schemata
• Obviously, tools must be in place to support the development and evolution of and control of the metadata registry