U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

John FaundeenJohn FaundeenAugust 26, 2011August 26, 2011Society of American Archivists – Chicago, ILSociety of American Archivists – Chicago, IL

Geospatial Data Preservation: Geospatial Data Preservation: Issues and ChallengesIssues and Challenges

Outline

ContextContext EnvironmentalEnvironmental The The RightRight Stuff Stuff More Than OneMore Than One To the RescueTo the Rescue And the Next Media isAnd the Next Media is

Context

By the Numbers . . .

DigitallyDigitally 1972 to Present

Sort of…

Receive 2-3 Terabytes / Day Manage 4.5 Petabytes +40 Million E-Records

Film ArchivesFilm Archives 1939 to Present

Many Formats/Sizes/Types

+8 Million Frames

2008

2003 Dasht-e Kavir (Great Salt Desert, Iran)

Environmental

TemperatureTemperature Relative HumidityRelative Humidity

181,000 data points January 2010 to July 2011

Environmental

Source: NARA 1571 Archival Storage Standards

Environmental

Environmental

Environmental

The Right Stuff Appraisal of RecordsAppraisal of Records

Continuing Value

Can be SubjectiveCan be Subjective Involve Relevant Reviewers Engage Management at all Levels

BenefitsBenefits Reduce Breadth of Holdings

Focus on Core-Mission Datasets Prioritize Resources

Have a Way to Say “No” Document Decisions - Accountability

The Right Stuff

2006-20112006-2011 56 Appraisals

39 Retain/Accept 17 Dispose/Not Accept

Disposal not the Same as DestructionDisposal not the Same as Destruction Seek a Better Home

Sample of Datasets AppraisedSample of Datasets Appraised Landsat (3) Gemini Apollo

More Than One

CopiesCopies A Suggestion . . .A Suggestion . . .

More Than One

NARA Partnership AgreementNARA Partnership Agreement

To the Rescue

USGSUSGS 2007 $1.3M Preservation & Access Legacy Science

ICSU CODATAICSU CODATA 2011 DARTG

And the Next Media is

Migration of MediaMigration of Media Including Hard Disk Obsolescence

HW, SW, Firmware, Media

Within a 3-5 Year Period

Take-Away

Track Temperature and Relative HumidityTrack Temperature and Relative Humidity 65/35

Consider AppraisalConsider Appraisal Three-Copy StrategyThree-Copy Strategy Rescuing DataRescuing Data PlanPlan for Data Migrations for Data Migrations

Take-Away

Track Temperature and Relative HumidityTrack Temperature and Relative Humidity 65/35

Consider AppraisalConsider Appraisal Three-Copy StrategyThree-Copy Strategy Rescuing DataRescuing Data PlanPlan for Data Migrations for Data Migrations

Thank you!John Faundeen

faundeen@usgs.gov