An Overview of the ERA Program and the Challenges of Electronic Records Mark Conrad Archives Specialist

Electronic Records NARA’s Challenges Scope The Entire Federal Government Variety Different Types of Records Complexity Records in Different Formats Volume Enormous Numbers of Records Obsolescence Constantly Changing Technology

Scope The Entire Federal Government

Variety Different Types of Records

Complexity Records in Different Formats

Volume Enormous Numbers of Records

Obsolescence Constantly Changing Technology

Clinton Administration 40 million email messages State Department 25 million electronic diplomatic messages Department of Defense 54 million images from electronic official military personnel files annually Census Bureau 600 to 800 million image files (2000 census) Electronic Records Are Arriving!

Clinton Administration

40 million email messages

State Department

25 million electronic diplomatic messages

Department of Defense

54 million images from electronic official military personnel files annually

Census Bureau

600 to 800 million image files (2000 census)

Anticipated Incoming Permanent Electronic Records Collections within the next 15 years 347 131 35.8 25.8 19.0 14.1 10.6 7.8 5.5 3.6 Projected Accumulated NARA Holdings in petabytes (1 PB = 1,024 TB) 2022 2018 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Year

How NARA Responded The ERA Vision ERA will be a comprehensive, systematic, and dynamic means of preserving and providing continuing access to any type of electronic record free from dependence on any specific hardware or software, created anywhere in the Federal Government.

The ERA System Goals Overcome technological obsolescence in a manner that preserves demonstrably authentic records Build a dynamic solution that: Accepts that changes will happen incorporates continuing change in IT Takes advantage of new technologies Maintains and improves performance Improves customer service

Overcome technological obsolescence in a manner that preserves demonstrably authentic records

Build a dynamic solution that:

Accepts that changes will happen

incorporates continuing change in IT

Takes advantage of new technologies

Maintains and improves performance

Improves customer service

Why ERA Research? Archival Moonshot Red-tailed Hawks The Wizards

Archival Moonshot

Red-tailed Hawks

The Wizards

The Archival Moonshot Unprecedented Challenges Technology Does Not Currently Exist Complexity &Volume Will Continue to Grow Unprecedented Resources Recognized GOVERNMENTAL Challenges White House Coordinated Research Activity

Unprecedented Challenges

Technology Does Not Currently Exist

Complexity &Volume Will Continue to Grow

Unprecedented Resources

Recognized GOVERNMENTAL Challenges

White House Coordinated Research Activity

National Coordination Office for Networking Information Technology Research and Development (NCO/NITRD)

FY 2008 NITRD Supplement to the President's Budget http://www.nitrd.gov/pubs/2008supplement/NITRD_Interim_08Supp.pdf Has Not Yet Been Released Budget Overview Released

Has Not Yet Been Released

Budget Overview Released

FY 2008 NITRD Budget Overview: Some Highlights “ Notable NITRD Program highlights of the past year include the addition of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) as new member agencies.”

“ Notable NITRD Program highlights of the past year include the addition of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) as new member agencies.”

FY 2008 NITRD Budget Overview: Some Highlights Human-Computer Interaction and Information Management Needs Include: Long-Term Management and Preservation of Complex Collections

Human-Computer Interaction and Information Management Needs Include:

Long-Term Management and Preservation of Complex Collections

FY 2007 NITRD Supplement to the President's Budget See http://www.nitrd.gov/pubs/2007supplement/

FY 2007 NITRD Supplement to the President's Budget: Some Highlights Human-Computer Interaction and Information Management Needs Include: Next-generation methods, tools, and technologies to make it possible to access, integrate, analyze, and efficiently manage massive stores of widely distributed, heterogeneous information (e.g., science and engineering research data, Federal records )

Human-Computer Interaction and Information Management Needs Include:

Next-generation methods, tools, and technologies to make it possible to access, integrate, analyze, and efficiently manage massive stores of widely distributed, heterogeneous information (e.g., science and engineering research data, Federal records )

FY 2007 NITRD Supplement to the President's Budget Some Highlights Human-Computer Interaction and Information Management Needs Include: Federal information management architecture testbeds: To evaluate issues in petascale collections of information governed by differing requirements (e.g., national security, personal privacy) Long-term preservation: Maintenance of and access to long-lived science and engineering data collections and Federal records

Human-Computer Interaction and Information Management Needs Include:

Federal information management architecture testbeds:

To evaluate issues in petascale collections of information governed by differing requirements (e.g., national security, personal privacy)

Long-term preservation:

Maintenance of and access to long-lived science and engineering data collections and Federal records

The Red-tailed Hawks Identify Potential in New Technologies Promote Knowledge & Technology Transfer from Research Projects Bring Together Partners with Diverse Domain Expertise Leverage Other Research

Identify Potential in New Technologies

Promote Knowledge & Technology Transfer from Research Projects

Bring Together Partners with Diverse Domain Expertise

Leverage Other Research

The Wizards Unprecedented Collaborations World-Class Expertise in Multiple Domains Recognized World-Class Challenges

Unprecedented Collaborations

World-Class Expertise in Multiple Domains

Recognized World-Class Challenges

Some of Our Research Partners San Diego Supercomputer Center NIST … and many other Federal Agencies and their Records Officers National Science Foundation Global Grid Forum National Computational Science Alliance Army Research Laboratory National Agricultural Library

Your Contact in the ERA Program Management Office Mark Conrad [email_address] ERA Communications (301) 837-0740 [email_address] The ERA Website is http://www.archives.gov/era