Archival and Preservation

Advanced Preservation Algorithm: How It Works

The core of our preservation system is our proprietary Content Integrity and Distribution Algorithm (CIDA), which ensures maximum reliability through automated processes:

Storage Process in a Nutshell

Our preservation algorithm leverages cutting-edge distributed storage principles that transform each research article into discrete data blocks, each individually encrypted and replicated across our triple-redundant infrastructure. When content is submitted, it undergoes a proprietary chunking process that optimizes each file for both long-term integrity and efficient retrieval. The system intelligently analyzes file characteristics to determine optimal chunk sizes (typically between 4-16MB), generates redundant p

  1. Content Validation – Upon submission, each file undergoes rigorous validation to verify format compliance, structural integrity, and completeness. Our system performs over 40 different checks to ensure data quality.
  2. Metadata Extraction – Comprehensive metadata is automatically extracted and supplemented with manually curated fields to ensure complete discoverability and proper contextualization for long-term preservation.
  3. Digital Fingerprinting – Each content item receives a unique SHA-256 cryptographic hash that serves as its digital fingerprint, allowing for perpetual verification of authenticity and integrity.

Redundant Distribution Protocol

  1. Synchronized Replication – Our algorithm implements synchronized replication across all three storage systems with transactional integrity. Either all three copies are successfully created, or the system flags the content for manual intervention.
  2. Geographic Distribution – The algorithm automatically distributes content to geographically dispersed storage locations to protect against regional disasters or infrastructure failures.
  3. Cross-Platform Verification – After storage, each copy is independently verified against the original digital fingerprint to ensure perfect reproduction across all three systems.

Continuous Monitoring and Maintenance

  1. Scheduled Integrity Checks – The algorithm performs regularly scheduled integrity checks across all storage systems, comparing current file signatures against the original fingerprints.
  2. Automated Healing – If corruption is detected in any copy, the system automatically initiates restoration from intact copies, ensuring continuous preservation even if one system experiences degradation.
  3. Format Obsolescence Detection – Our algorithm continuously monitors file formats against a comprehensive format registry to identify potential obsolescence risks before they impact accessibility.

Technological Resilience Features

  1. Encryption and Security – All content is encrypted both in transit and at rest using AES-256 encryption, with key management systems that ensure long-term access while maintaining security.
  2. Media Refresh Cycles – The algorithm tracks the age of physical media and automatically schedules migration to new media before reaching expected end-of-life thresholds.
  3. Disaster Recovery Integration – The preservation system is fully integrated with our disaster recovery protocols, with automated failover capabilities should any single system become compromised.

Lossless Preservation of Visual Research Assets

We understand the critical importance of visual data in research. Our preservation system maintains all images, charts, figures, and supplementary materials in their original, lossless formats. This commitment ensures that:

  • Complex visualizations retain their original resolution and detail
  • Data represented in charts and graphs maintains full fidelity
  • Specialized scientific imagery preserves all original metadata
  • Supplementary visual materials remain accessible in their intended form