"A risk assessment of the Piql Services" by FFI

where even small particles can cause damage to the medium, few wait that long to migrate the data onto a new tape. The market ―best-practice‖ is to migrate the data every 5-10 years [57].

10.2 Security Qualities

Although we have not done a similarly thorough review of the security qualities of these alternative digital storage media as that presented in the previous chapter of the Piql Preservation Services, it can be safe to assume that they would not be able to withstand the negative effects of the worst case scenarios we have just outlined. We can assume that the different media would all be vulnerable to the effects of excessive heat cause by fire; by filthy water; by the crushing physical pressure of overhead weight; and by chemical compounds and harmful microorganisms. Similarly, we assume none are immune to neither the threat of the insider nor to physical theft or sabotage. With regards to the issue of radiation, though, the different storage media are affected in different ways. As our analysis has shown, the piqlFilm and piqlBox are immune to exposure to electromagnetic pulses. Because no magnetic fields are involved in the writing or reading processes during production, it is unaffected by electromagnetic radiation. The same is the case for the optical disk [66]. The situation is quite another for both the HDD and the LTO. Both are highly affected by any devices which create a strong magnetic field. The reverse, however, is true where it comes to the effects of UV radiation. In this case, the HDD and LTO are unaffected, whereas damage can be done to the data stored with the Piql Preservation Services or a CD or DVD when exposed to too much UV radiation from the sun or overhead lights [62]. There is one area where the qualities of the Piql Preservation Services set it apart from the other storage media, and that is regarding its true long-term preserving abilities [67]. Of the three alternative storage media presented above, only the magnetic tape seems well suited for similar long-term storage usage. Yet, due to its relatively short lifetime expectancy, its application seems better suited for archival purposes rather than for preservation purposes. When it comes to preservation – understood as maintaining something in its original or existing state, keeping it alive and keeping it safe from harm or injury [44] – the Piql Preservation Services is the most appropriate storage method for long-term preservation of digital data available today, provided that the piqlFilm is stored under the proper storage conditions. The Piql Preservation Services is the technology which is best suited for long-term preservation because it is migration-free, unlike the other storage media. Because of the deterioration of the alternative storage media over time due to environmental factors and general aging of the material, in addition to continuous developments in software, hardware and file formats, migration of the data from one medium to a new ―healthy‖ medium is needed at frequent intervals. This is not the case for the piqlFilm. It has a proven longevity of at least 500 years, which eliminates the need for data migration [3]. 10.3 Long-Term Preservation

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FFI-RAPPORT 16/00707