Storing data in preparation for digital dark ages

THE digital dark ages refers to a future where it will be difficult or impossible to read historical electronic documents and other media because they have been recorded, built or stored in what is an obsolete and obscure file format, or the compatible software is no longer available.

Remember VHS tapes and floppy discs? Fast forward 50 years and society may be unable to access and read data we are so vociferously storing today.

It is easy with digital media to store thousands of photographs instead of printing them like our parents did. I remember only keeping the best photographs, stored in a photograph album.

They were important family heirlooms designed to be handed down from generation to generation.

But how many of us now print and store photographs that way? To a large extent, Facebook and cloud software has become the new photo album - to the point now where Facebook invites you to nominate an heir to your login when you die.

We are only realising that saving this information for future generations is important. But how does this relate to business and why is it worrying for digital experts, such as Google vice-president Vint Cerf, who have warned that we are at serious risk of data loss.

Cerf's advice is to print documents that are important and physically store them.

While this is at odds with environmentalists who advocate a move to digital-based systems, the issue is one of data storage, data integrity and data access - all important in today's fast-moving business world.

The solution? Ensure your processes, systems and software are such that information stored now will be able to be accessed in the future.

Next week: digital file storage and meta data.

Wanganui District Council information technology manager Jason Simons has worked around the world delivering IT solutions, including providing encrypted systems for governments, banks and corporates. Follow his blog at jasonsimons.nz.