The Requirement for ECMS

© 2004-7 Infogrid Pacific. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners 1

The Science of Information

Information ManagementInformation ManagementInformation managementfor an uncertain technology future

Infogrid Pacific Pte. Ltd.



Meme: Information ManagementMeme: Information ManagementWhat is it?



Making sure all the data that should Making sure all the data that should survive into the indefinite future survive into the indefinite future

... ... does survivedoes survive



For every conceivable purposeFor every conceivable purpose... accessibility

... reuse

... statutory obligations

... value preservation

... history

... just in case



Independent of constantly changing Independent of constantly changing technologiestechnologies

such as:

... hardware

... operating systems

... proprietary software

... proprietary formats and protocols



Remember...Remember...

Information is forever...Information is forever...

Technology changes dailyTechnology changes daily



Any finite set of dataAny finite set of data

can have an infinite set of viewscan have an infinite set of viewsTechnology gives the ability to see the same information in many different ways

... and today you may not even know what those needs are, or will be...



The information must be managed The information must be managed independently from technologyindependently from technology

... and not embedded in the technology



Technology is revolutionizing Technology is revolutionizing our interaction with informationour interaction with information



The value of the information is The value of the information is being redefined faster than most being redefined faster than most

organizations can understandorganizations can understand



The information - technology The information - technology relationship has to be relationship has to be redefinable instantlyredefinable instantly



The human - technology The human - technology relationship has to be relationship has to be redefinable instantlyredefinable instantly



For example: For example:

Ubiquitous mobile access is fast approaching, and that is going to redefine our relationship with our information again



All of this must be easy to doAll of this must be easy to do

... or it probably wont happen... or it probably wont happen

15© 2006 Infogrid Pacific. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners


Jargon Alert

Definitions Definitions Data: The bits and bytes on a computer storage system

Content: The genre and intellectual value of the data

Information: Data+content systematized with metadata so it can be understood and used

Knowledge: something a human has based on experience and memories



Definition

DATADATA

is all the same is all the same Bits and bytes on the computer are the same except for endian-ness (are the bits stored 1-8, or 8-1)

It is stored and transmitted using highly standardized protocols

This technology has lasted for decades and will probably last for decades more



Definition

CONTENTCONTENT

Is very differentIs very differentContent is data arranged within file formats which are used by applications to represent the data in an content specific manner.

There are some common file formats, and a babel of proprietary formats

Few have lasted more than a decade so far



Definition

INFORMATIONINFORMATION

Take some data/content, Take some data/content, put them into a usable context put them into a usable context and they become informationand they become information



Illustrating Context

An Invoice

The context is a transaction between two parties. Otherwise it's just a file format, piece of paper or record in a database.

A DVD Movie

has one context of DRM – you can only view this on my terms! Otherwise it's just a file format or a silver disc - or the context changes to stolen content!

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Information Management Context

Most current Information Management Most current Information Management Solutions...Solutions...

... are embedded in the past

... solve only todays problem

... are a liability for the future

... are expensive to customize

... are expensive to maintain




But now your friendly Government But now your friendly Government says you have to keep digital says you have to keep digital

information forinformation for... 7 years

... 25 years

... +++ years

... Or maybe go to jail and pay a big fine!




and ...and ...




A lot of your todays data is digital only, A lot of your todays data is digital only, and you will be creating a lot moreand you will be creating a lot more

... There are no paper trails

... Digitally certificates expire in 12 months

... 100's of different proprietary file formats

... the data is all over the place




and ...and ...




You have unstructured information You have unstructured information everywhere that needs to be everywhere that needs to be

organized and accessibleorganized and accessibleUnstructured information: that's the 90% of your content and information that is in files, on some hard disk, on some workstation or server, that are not in a database




and ...and ...




You have legacy physical content You have legacy physical content you would like to make available you would like to make available digitally to reduce access costsdigitally to reduce access costs

...or even make it available for the first time




and ...and ...




Your information / content has cost Your information / content has cost you a lot of money to createyou a lot of money to create

... you need to preserve that value

... preserving the existing value shouldn't break the bank

... or be a management headache.




and ...and ...




You need serious efficiency and You need serious efficiency and effectiveness gainseffectiveness gains

... to reduce operational costs

... to increase competitive advantages

... to provide better service

... to improve productivity

... to create collaboration




And what is available is a cacophony And what is available is a cacophony of solutions...of solutions...

DMS for documents

AMS for assets

RMS for records

LMS for education and training

WCM for web sites

Customized application development




All of which are just different views All of which are just different views on parts of your information...on parts of your information...

...trapped into limiting technology ...trapped into limiting technology defined viewpointsdefined viewpoints




Not one of which has any inbuilt Not one of which has any inbuilt strategies for digital preservationstrategies for digital preservation

other than “buy my upgrade in three years – if I still support that product! If you pay

the data migration costs”.




So now you have to ask serious So now you have to ask serious questions about the future of your questions about the future of your

data...data...

Is there a better way?Is there a better way?



There sure is...There sure is...

and its relatively straight forward



Use independent metadata to Use independent metadata to drive your information strategydrive your information strategy

Don't let it get trapped in a database

Remember - a database is someones technology

If metadata if free it can grow and increase in value



Metadata = Flexibility = ControlMetadata = Flexibility = ControlUsing:

... Taxonomies - Categorization

... Thesauri – for refined control

... Keywords (formal and social)

... Authority files

These are standard methods– nothing radical here...



Create really good metadata for Create really good metadata for each Information Packageeach Information PackageDescriptive – what it is about

Ownership – where it came from

Rights – how it can be used

Structure maps – how it is stored

Relationships – how it fits together



The difference is not the The difference is not the metadatametadata

... but how you use the metadata... but how you use the metadata



Package all the data / content files Package all the data / content files together with the metadatatogether with the metadata

Call them

Information PackagesInformation Packages



Stop managing files and start Stop managing files and start managing Information Packagesmanaging Information Packages



Don't worry about the technology Don't worry about the technology on each side of the stored on each side of the stored

Information PackagesInformation Packages (That excitement comes later)



The storage strategy comes firstThe storage strategy comes first... control what goes in

... control what comes out

... control how it is maintained



Architecture

Separate the users and technology from Separate the users and technology from the information packagesthe information packages

InformationPackageStorage

Environment

Administration Community

Producer Community User Community

User'sTechnology

Producer'sTechnology



Architecture

Use the latest hottest technology to Use the latest hottest technology to access and use the metadataaccess and use the metadata


Environment

Administration Community

Producer CommunityWhat we're using

today and getting by with

technology


Yesterdays boring

old and coldtechnology

Newest, hottest “we gotta have it”soon technology



Architecture

And controlling the whole system?And controlling the whole system?

Just set your ingest and access rules by individual, groups, organizations, other applications, etc.


Environment

AdministrationCommunity

Producer Community


These are yourinformationingest rules

What you can put in

User'sTechnology

These are your information

access rulesWhat you can take out

User Community



Architecture

This architecture is information centric This architecture is information centric so you can...so you can...

... Preserve it

... Maintain it

... Trust it

... Use it



Never forgetNever forget

Information is forever...Information is forever...

Technology changes every dayTechnology changes every day



The experts tell us to preserve information in a The experts tell us to preserve information in a trusted manner over time we need...trusted manner over time we need...

... Replication Strategies

... Migration Strategies

... Life-cycle maintenance strategies

... Policy based management and admin.

... Digital provenance metadata

Let's see what that all meansLet's see what that all means



Jargon AlertREPLICATIONREPLICATION

Don't put all your eggs in one basketDon't put all your eggs in one basketThe more copies of a file that exist, the

more likely they will survive anything

If the copies are in different locations they are more likely to survive all types of disasters (flood, fire, etc.)

Replication is an automatic policy driven process that keeps a set number of copies in multiple locations.



Jargon AlertMIGRATIONMIGRATION

I don't want it here anymore!I don't want it here anymore!I want to move some, or all of my information Packages to a different technology

At some stage – the technology wears out. The information can be moved while the old technology stays behind



Jargon Alert

LIFE CYCLE MAINTENANCELIFE CYCLE MAINTENANCE

Periodic health checksPeriodic health checks.. periodic file integrity checks

... periodic evidence quality checks

... replication of files to multiple locations

... retention and disposal actions

... audit history on every action



Jargon Alert

Policy based Management and Policy based Management and AdministrationAdministration

Tell the system the rules for

...Collection and data management

...Replication policies

...Surface validity checks

...Ingest and access policies



Jargon Alert

Digital ProvenanceDigital ProvenanceFull and complete auto-generated metadata of everything that has happened to the data while it has been in the care of the storage system



Separating Information from Separating Information from Technology brings new and Technology brings new and

powerful options to large-scale powerful options to large-scale information managementinformation management



Organizing the InformationOrganizing the Information



Better metadata, better Better metadata, better information managementinformation management

It's easier to put a metadata field into an Information Package that says “Contract”, than it is to build a contract management database



Users don't interface with the Users don't interface with the files, they interface with the file files, they interface with the file

metadatametadataAnd then just sometimes need to view, or download and use a file in the content context



So the technology uses whatever So the technology uses whatever metadata it requires to create a metadata it requires to create a

specific and contextual user specific and contextual user experienceexperience



One information management One information management system doing its job ...system doing its job ...

InformationStorage

ReplicaInformation

Storage

Information Storage Management



... any number of interfaces with ... any number of interfaces with any technology ...any technology ...

InformationStorage

ReplicaInformation

Storage


Metadata Interface

Evidential RecordsDocuments

Images & multimedia

Cultural artifacts

Data and Research

Sales & Marketing

Commercial Content



...comprehensive user controls......comprehensive user controls...

InformationStorage

ReplicaInformation

Storage


Metadata Interface


Images & multimedia

Cultural artifacts

Data and Research

Sales & Marketing

Commercial Content

User Access C

ontrols



With user context applied,With user context applied,you contolyou contol

... what they can see

... what depth they can go to

... what they can do with it

... any other constraints



... Digital Rights Assertion ...... Digital Rights Assertion ...

InformationStorage

ReplicaInformation

Storage


Metadata Interface


Images & multimedia

Cultural artifacts

Data and Research

Sales & Marketing

Commercial Content

Metadata Interface

User A

ccess Controls

Digital R

ights Assertion



DRM allows you to provide DRM allows you to provide permissions and constraints for permissions and constraints for

any contentany content



All of this is encapsulated inAll of this is encapsulated in

IGP:RepostoryIGP:Repostory

IGP:Information ArchitectIGP:Information Architect

andand

IGP:InfoViewerIGP:InfoViewer



DigitalPreservation

Archive

IGP:Repository

ConsumerTechnology

Interface

IGP:InfoViewer

Other Applications

ContentProducersIGP:Production

Solutions

InfoViewer Forms

IGP:Metadesk

Other Applications

Different User Groups

Different Web Sites

Different Business Processes

Different Content Types

New and changing requirements

Working seamlessly together ...Working seamlessly together ...

... and with other Web Services... and with other Web Services

Syncronized & Automated MetadataIGP:Information Architect



And supported byAnd supported by

IGP:Production SolutionsIGP:Production Solutions

IGP:MetadeskIGP:Metadesk

and other and other

Infogrid Pacific Information Infogrid Pacific Information Management applicationsManagement applications



For more information go to ...

www.infogridpacific.comwww.infogridpacific.com