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IDEA Award Winner 2006

Transcontinental Persistent Archives Prototype

Megaconference Team
  • Robert Chadduck, Electronic Records Archives, National Archives and Records Administration (Nominating Award Winner)
  • Reagan Moore, San Diego Supercomputer Center
  • Joseph JaJa, University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies
This application is an innovative research test bed used to address the Nation’s challenge of safeguarding, preserving, and providing access to demonstrably authentic electronic records — to ensure continuing access to essential evidence that documents the rights of American citizens, the actions of federal officials, and the national experience. The prototype is a federation of different, and independently administered, computing platforms which interact as a single virtual repository. The system is distributed between NARA, the University of Maryland, and the San Diego Supercomputer Center. The persistent archives prototype is based on the Storage Resource Broker data management technology. The prototype has been used to demonstrate the management of technology evolution, the preservation of electronic records, and the automated extraction of authenticity metadata. The prototype showcases new levels of data virtualization - demonstrating the ability to manage the properties of electronic records collection across multiple sites independent of the underlying storage environments. The transcontinental persistent archives prototype is the product of a seven year research effort that includes the contributions of the National Science Foundation’s Office of CyberInfrastructure, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and the University of Maryland.

The Transcontinental Persistent Archives Prototype represents advanced collaborative research. This technology demonstrates how shared knowledge can be managed and distributed across multiple institutions and platforms. The prototype is the Nation's window onto the electronic records archives of the future.

Robert Chadduck
Director of Research, Electronic Records Archives (ERA) Program
National Archives and Records Administration

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