Overview
ISO/TR 17797:2014 - "Electronic archiving - Selection of digital storage media for long term preservation" provides practical guidelines for choosing appropriate digital storage media when long-term preservation is required. It reviews magnetic, optical and electronic storage technologies and outlines a methodology to assess media suitability based on reliability, anticipated longevity, environmental sensitivity and hardware/software obsolescence.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Media types covered: magnetic tape, hard disk drives (HDD), solid-state drives (SSD/flash), and optical discs (recordable/rewritable).
- Selection criteria: reliability, anticipated lifespan, sensitivity to operating/storage environments, and obsolescence of supporting hardware/software.
- Failure analysis & quality indicators: document addresses common reasons for failure and indicators to monitor (e.g., ECC/data verification, SMART metrics - see informative annex).
- Technical arrangements & control tools: guidance on physical handling, storage conditions, duplication strategies, monitoring tools and maintenance actions needed for long-term preservation.
- Operational requirements: media traceability, optimal storage identification, media stocktaking, periodic inspection, and duplication/refreshment (media replacement) or migration strategies.
- Selection factors (practical checklist): information volume, item size, retention period, media capacity, current organizational technology, retrieval/access needs, exposure to threats, costs, records management and regulatory requirements, and technology refresh cycles.
Practical applications - who uses this standard
ISO/TR 17797 is aimed at professionals and organizations responsible for preserving digital information over long periods:
- Archivists, records managers and digital preservation specialists
- IT managers and storage architects designing long-term storage solutions
- Libraries, museums, government agencies and corporate compliance/legal teams
- Vendors and integrators of archival storage systems
Typical uses:
- Choosing media for archival repositories and digital preservation projects
- Defining media-control and monitoring procedures (traceability, inspections, duplication)
- Planning refreshment/migration cycles and documenting acceptance criteria for archival media
Related standards
ISO/TR 17797 is a practical guide to inform media selection and operational controls for long-term electronic archiving, helping organizations balance preservation, accessibility and lifecycle costs when managing digital storage media.