S 2.263 Regular regeneration of archived data resources

Initiation responsibility: Head of IT

Implementation responsibility: Archive Administrator, Head of IT

In order to guarantee proper archiving, it must be ensured over the entire archiving period that

• the data format used complies with the state of the art and can be processed currently and in the future by the applications used,
• the stored data can be read in the future and reproduced maintaining the semantics and the validity,
• the file system used on the storage medium can be processed by all components involved ,
• the storage media can be read at any time in a physically flawless manner,
• the cryptographic procedures used for encryption and digital signature correspond to the state of the art, and
• replacement and maintenance options are available for all components of the storage unit (storage medium, drives, jukeboxes, as well as control software).

If it is foreseeable that one of the required properties will not longer provided in the near future, the affected systems must be replaced. In doing so, it must be taken into account that a significant amount of archived data may have to be copied to new data media.

Information regarding the regeneration of encrypted or signed documents can be found in safeguards S 2.264 Regular regeneration of encrypted data in archiving and S 2.265 Proper use of digital signatures in archiving.

Review questions:

• Does the data format used during the archiving period correspond to the state of the art and can it be processed by the applications used?
• Is the stored data readable and reproducible maintaining the semantics and validity during the archiving period?
• Can the file system used on the storage medium be processed by all components involved during the archiving period?
• Can the storage media be read at any time in a physically flawless manner during the archiving period?
• Do the cryptographic procedures used for encryption and digital signature correspond to the state of the art during the archiving period?
• Are systems replaced that will no longer meet the performance requirements in the near future?