title: The design and implementation of a necessary and sufficient system for the long-term archival retention of digital documents
creators: Viv Cothey Claire Collins
abstract: We describe how the design of a digital preservation system suitable for the long-term archival retention of digital documents mimics conventional archival practice with regard to provenance, authenticity and workflow.  The design further ensures the evidential nature of digital “documents” in the Archive.  Exit plans recognize both the routine expiry of time limited supplier agreements and the effects of a disorderly supplier exit.  The design has been successfully implemented and is now being migrated from test to production as a “business as usual” component of the archivist role.
keywords: archive provenance authenticity fixity