"We needed a way to preserve this history in its native format for future generations," says David Ryan, the PRO's head of digital preservation.
The records office hired an outside contractor, Tessella, to help it build the new archive. Tessella picked FileTek Corp., Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), and Storage Technology Corp. (StorageTek) (NYSE: STK) to supply the various pieces of the puzzle.
FileTek's StorHouse hierarchical storage management (HSM) software will manage the digital files in a repository archived on a StorageTek L20 tape library; Sun will supply the servers. Data on the tape cartridges will be accessed through a Web interface, written by Tessella, that provides access and retrieval of requested information. FileTek's Relational File System (RFS) software will be used with StorHouse to archive hundreds of millions of files.
FileTek beat Sun to the software contract because its HSM product is easier to administer, according to Tessella. "PRO needed something simple, so we went with them over Suns SAM FS product," says Rob Sharp, senior software engineer at Tessella. On a related note, the Met Office, the British weather service, previously awarded a contract for similar software technology to FileTek to support its scientific research.
But back to the records office. If easy, fast access to the data is important, why not go for nearline disk storage? (See NetApp Has 100 NearStore Users, EMC Backs Clariion Into ATA, and FileTek Taps EMC Centera.)
To realize the benefits of cloud-native software, an application must actually be cloud-native—designed to run in the cloud, interacting with disaggregated cloud services, fully manageable as code—to deliver the expected benefits.
By combining resources and expertise, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium will offer a blueprint for how industries can adapt to an AI-dominated future.
IT leaders should heed the guidance of cybersecurity insurance providers who think businesses should prioritize security education, incident preparedness, regular internal audits, and ongoing vulnerability scanning and patching.
