APARSEN
Alliance Permanent Access to the Records of Science in Europe Network
APARSEN is a Network of Excellence that brings together an extremely diverse set of practitioner organizations and researchers in order to bring coherence, cohesion and continuity to research into barriers to the long-term accessibility and usability of digital information and data, exploiting our diversity by building a long-lived Virtual Centre of Digital Preservation Excellence.
In this network of Excellence InConTec contributes in the evaluation and establishment of standards for the preservation of science data in different domains spanning from Nuclear Physics, over Earth Science to industrial data generated in Engineering and Design processes.
Virtual Center of Excellence
APARSEN has established a Virtual Center of Excellence (VCE) which bundles all preservation activities of the partners active in the different domains of science. The center coordinates standardization activities in the world of Long-term digital preservation and collects results from previous research projects. APARSEN coordinates new research activities in the area of authenticity and trust. Members of the network offer support in the establishment of preservation processes and provide certification recommendations and guidelines for LTP archives. For established processes and archives APARSEN and its members validate the process and the archive set-up performed in an audit and certification of the validated LTP archive.
Research Data
Large scale projects like the CERN superconducting particle accelerator produce in one experiment so many data that it last for years to examine all results. Long-term preservation will ensure that the data can be re-used for comparisons over many years.
Industrial Data
After the first presentation of a new airplane type the life cycle of the type's program lasts more than 50 years. Since design technology with its Hardware and Software programs is changing much faster than that it is extremely important to be able to re-use the original design data for design and maintenance activities. Long-term preservation is the key for such industrial projects.
Standards Database
InConTec has setup and maintains the Preservation Standards Database in collaboration with other network members. This database contains helpful information about existing and planned standards as well as projects related to long-term preservation. The database gives guidance about proven concepts, processes, methodologies and file formats based on the OAIS model. Powerful search and filter mechanisms enable the user to filter his searches to find the best fitting information in different domains and application areas like library and memory institutions, industry and science. Selecting the StandardsDB in the Navigation line of this web page allows the user to register and to login for his search activities.
The adjacent picture shows a snapshot from the database. For more information please contact either the APARSEN Virtual Center of Excellence or contact us thru our contact page.
Preservation Process and OAIS Model
The OAIS preservation process was initially established by the Aerospace industries. The APARSEN standards are following this process, which in the meantime has been adopted by many different domains. Regardless if libraries, memory institutions, audiovisual archives or industrial archives this process is the global standard describing the different phases of the preservation process.
More information about APARSEN
More detailed information about the APARSEN Network of Excellence you can get on the project webpage. Just click on the project logo.
For additional Information
Please call +49 2932 4294664