The OAIS Model
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The Open Archival Information System Reference Model (ISO 14721), known as OAIS, is frequently referenced in discussions about digital preservation. The model provides a general outline that can guide archives and repositories in establishing workflows that facilitate long-term preservation and access to digital objects. It covers the management of digital objects from the point of ingest all the way to when the information is retrieved by end users.
Three types of information packages: SIP, AIP, & DIP
A central aspect of the OAIS model is that it names three distinct types of information packages:
- The Submission Information Package (SIP) - Consists of the digital objects submitted to a repository for preservation, along with their accompanying metadata and documentation.
- The Archival Information Package (AIP) - This package consists of the digital objects, now stored in the repository, and their associated documentation, which is necessary for preservation and access. This includes provenance and fixity information, technical metadata, and other contextual information.
- The Dissemination Information Package (DIP) - This package is what is retrieved by a user when accessing the digital object through the repository's user interface.
More on OAIS
Below are a few links that will help you learn more about OAIS.
- OAIS Reference Model (ISO 14721)
- Digital Preservation - OAIS Reference Model (University of the Free State)
- Reference Model for an Open Archival Information System (The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems)
- The Open Archival Information System (OAIS) Reference Model: Introductory Guide (DPC)
An OAIS quiz!
Here's a quiz to check how well you understand the OAIS Model! Click here.
Other models and standards
These are other models and standards that are associated with digital preservation. Click on the hyperlinked text or the images for more information.
