Plan Configuration Overview
Plan Configuration in Preservation
Plan configuration takes the information learned in the risk analysis segment of the Preservation module and builds a plan for creating a test set of objects, defining evaluation criteria, and configuring alternative methods for sustaining objects of particular formats that put the collections at risk. (For more information on risk types and risk reports, see the Risk Analysis section of this guide.)
Configuration precedes the testing and execution of Preservation plans by Preservation Analysts who are working to maintain the longevity of objects in their institution’s collections. The goal is to determine the best alternative to maintaining the sets or collections and implementing that alternative. The alternative can use an internal resource such as an internal conversion tool or an external tool wherein the set of files is exported, converted, and then imported back into Rosetta.
Configuration Stages
The following stages comprise the Preservation plan lifecycle:
| Stage | Next Stage | Actions Allowed | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft | In Testing | View, Duplicate, Edit, Delete | |
| In Testing | Ready for Sign-off | View, Duplicate, Edit, Delete |
|
| Test in Progress | In Testing | View, Duplicate | |
| Ready for Sign-off |
|
View, Duplicate, Revert to In Testing, Sign Off | Revert to In-Testing can be done only by the Preservation Manager (PM). |
| Signed Off (and Active) | - | View, Duplicate | Can only be done by a PM. |
| Rejected | - | View, Duplicate | |
| Inactive | Active | View, Duplicate | Plan cannot be executed. This state is reversible—plan can become Active again. |
Preservation Plan Components
The Preservation plan contains the following elements:
- Administrative information: Basic information consisting of the plan’s unique name, a description, and any documents that need to be uploaded in support of the plan.
- Preservation set: A logical search whose results become itemized when the plan is being executed. The set’s search criteria are based on a risk and a format and can be refined according to other attributes (for example, file size or file extension).
- Test set: A subset of the full itemized Preservation set used to test the different plan alternatives. A Preservation Analyst (PA) identifies this subset of IEs by adding conditions to the original query and selecting the specific members from the results of the narrowed query.
- Evaluation: The evaluation criteria used by the PAs to determine the best plan alternative for preserving objects in the repository. The evaluation criteria are stored in the database with different possible values for each criterion. For example, the criterion Market Share may have the values of 0 - 10%, 10% - 25%, 25% - 50%, or 50% - 75%. The criterion Open Source Support can have the values Yes or No.
- Plan evaluation: The comparison of alternatives according to criteria that are relevant to the format. Examples of such criteria are: International standards exist (yes/no), Hardware costs (below 100K$, 100K$ – 500K$, over 500K$), and Manual resources required (local staff, temporary employees, outsourcing required).
- Alternative evaluation: The evaluation of each migration alternative based on a comparison of the properties of the original file and the properties of the migrated file. In order to automate the process as much as possible, the PA can choose the properties that will be checked by the system from the list of properties that are defined in the classification group to which the formats belong. For example, bit depth in image formats should be the same before and after the migration. For more details regarding classification groups, see the Format Library sections of this guide.
In addition, the PA can choose criteria for manual evaluation—that is, information that needs to be entered based on the PA’s impressions after reviewing the results through the viewer (for example, macros in text documents).
- Tests: The test of each of the alternatives on the subset. The evaluation results of the tests are saved so that they can be compared by the PA. A certain alternative can be tested more than once but only the last evaluation results will be saved. The migrated representations are deleted once the evaluation is completed by the PA.
- Plan sign-off/rejection: Sign-off on a plan by the Preservation Manager (PM). The PM selects one alternative and adds a note that records the decision. Once the plan is signed off on, it cannot be changed. It can only be executed or deleted.
At the point of sign-off, the PM may reject the plan. It will then be stored in the system, but it cannot be modified or executed.