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Electronic
Storage: In a nutshell, electronic storage is the process
by which paper and/or electronic documents are archived into a common
electronic format, such as Adobe Acrobat PDF. These documents can then
be indexed and retrieved using a single common interface, often a web
browser or an application with similar navigation and search functionality.
The clear advantage of electronic storage is speed of retrieval.
In other words, vast archives are available in seconds with no staff required
to retrieve and load films from libraries, a workflow problem that can
easily congest a business' processes. Electronically
stored documents may be archived on CD's, DVD's, remote or local servers,
web-accessed or locally networked affording a variety of capital infrastructure
options related to maintaining archives. In most cases, different documents
can be stored in a common format such as PDF. In cases where data may
need to be extracted from an archive for database purposes for example,
data can be extracted and re-purposed through the use of text files affording
increased versatility.
The
Verdict: Clearly, there are advantages to each approach.
Archiving with film is the better choice for companies that seek a long-term
storage solution with superior imaging characteristics. Electronic storage
offers easy and immediate retrieval access to data and is available anywhere
with standard network infrastructure. Companies that don't yet have the
need for electronic storage solutions-or can't afford them-may opt to
bide their time with a secure archive on film that can be flexibly adapted
to future migrations to electronic formats.
Many
organizations opt for a hybrid approach. By using elements of both
solutions, a company can reduce workflow barriers to access by using electronic
storage for regularly retrieved stores of documents. At the same time,
legal liabilities are diminished by preserving documents using film solutions
and, consequently, keeping a long-term, fail-safe alternative back-up.
Ultimately, a company needs to assess its archiving needs according to
a cost/value matrix that takes the following into the account:
- Is speed
of retrieval important to efficient business processes?
- Do internal
or external regulatory requirements mandate long term archiving?
- Are there
laws governing the maintenance and storage of documents to be archived?
- Do cultural/historical
requirements necessitate a high-quality long-term storage solution?
- Is there
a staffing budget to support the maintenance and retrieval requests
of a film archive?
- Can the
IT infrastructure handle the bandwidth load of electronic data retrieval?
Image Data helps public
and private sector organizations chart a course in document data archiving
that addresses their present and anticipated demands and needs. To contact
us with questions about your unique situation, get rates/quotes, or to
begin an RFP process: click here.
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Topics: Microfilm; Digital
Archiving
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