Document Archive Migration

Need for Document Archive Migration

Many organizations that have vintage Electronic Document Archive(s) will have an incentive to update to newer Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software and storage systems. This is especially the case when end-of-life hardware, such as optical libraries, is used for archival storage. When moving to a different ECM platform, typically the need exists to migrate the unexpired legacy documents (scanned images, PDF documents, COLD reports, etc) and associated indexes to the new document archive. Format conversions, e.g. from AFP or Meta code to PDF may be required for the new environment as a part of Document Archive Migration process.

Whereas most platforms make it easy to ingest documents, there is typically no facility for the batch export of documents. Even when utilities or APIs exist to expose the data from the legacy archive, the available bandwidth is often not sufficient to make ‘online’ solutions feasible for all but the smallest archives.

Cost of media
Cost of maintenance
Disappearing vendor support
Expiring license agreement
High licensing fees
Technology obsolescence

Data Source

If the legacy archive uses a regular file system for storage, a copy can typically be provided on USB or NAS storage. Otherwise, we utilize production optical platters, back-up optical platters, back-up magnetic tapes or extract data from CAS systems, such as Centera. Additionally, we request a backup of the archive database, which can be a proprietary one or one of the regular SQL databases (Oracle, MS SQL, etc).

Format Conversions

Data Strategies has ample experience with the format conversion of the document formats that originated on IBM mainframes, such as all MODCA types, AFP/AFPDS and Xerox Meta code/DJDE. We can extract fonts and other resources from the corresponding libraries on the legacy systems (including iSeries / AS400). When PDF is the target format, legacy fonts are converted to Adobe type 1 fonts that are embedded in the PDF files, thus yielding documents with maximum semblance to the originals.

Annotations

Annotations can be extracted from the source archive and delivered in a format that is compatible with ingestion into the target archive. Alternatively, they can be “burned” directly into the image files or superimposed on PDF files.

Quality Assurance

All our migration and conversion processes are database driven. This allows for efficient QA procedures and complete process audit-trail creation. Automatic data format validation plays an important part in the overall quality control of the document archive migration process.

Data Delivery

The output documents and associated indexes are delivered on media of customer’s choice. Typically, we generate the control files or scripts that allow for the ingestion of the documents and associated indexes into the target archive. USB or NAS drives are nowadays the most common delivery media. However, we can also generate application specific data tapes, e.g. for mainframe target archives. The service of ingesting the documents in the target archive can be provided by Data Strategies, although typically this is handled by the client or by the provider of the new archive solution.

Architecture

All data migration services provided by Data Strategies Interchange are performed off-line using our proprietary technology that is the result of years of development in the area of legacy data archive conversion. Our conversion platform is characterized by a high degree of flexibility to easily adapt to a broad range of conversion types and project size. It is also continuously expanded to support additional formats/systems.