The world is going digital. Many average computer users today are struggling with tasks such as how to organize and archive photographs, how to digitize old VCR tapes, and how to keep our computers safe and secure. Even these small tasks can be daunting. Imagine the massive task of moving the National Archives into the digital world!
The Electronic Records Archives will be a huge Internet-enabled database. The Electronic Archive is scheduled to open by 2007 and to be complete by 2011.
Since the National Archives is responsible for any kind of record created by any branch of the Federal Government, this digitization is a massive effort. The Archives covers many different forms and types of documents. It houses documents as diverse as the parchment paper originals of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, to the military records of those currently fighting in Iraq.
Two companies, Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Maryland, and Harris of Melbourne, Florida will each use the next year to build a system for archiving and retrieval. The National Archives will then choose the best system to become the Electronic Records Archives.
As individual computer users struggle with security issues, we can recognize the enormity of the effort that will be needed to keep this archive system safe and secure, while including various levels of security access. The goal of the system will be to create a highly secure system that will preserve every piece of data forever while at the same time making that data accessible to the proper people at any place and any time. It will be interesting to watch the progress and completion of this formidable task.
