Arkivave

Arkivave is a term used to describe a framework for long-term digital archiving that emphasizes resilience, interoperability, and adaptability to technological change. It covers data storage, metadata, preservation workflows, and governance to ensure continued access to digital records across decades.

The name blends archive and wave, signaling distributed, scalable archival practices. In library and information science, arkivave is used to describe emergent architectures that move beyond isolated repositories.

Architecture and standards: Arkivave favors distributed object storage, content addressing, and regular integrity checks. It commonly uses OAIS-inspired preservation models, PREMIS for provenance and fixity, and METS for packaging. Metadata spans descriptive, structural, administrative data and documentation of software and dependencies. Workflows cover ingest, validation, preservation planning, and audit trails, with interoperability via open APIs.

Adoption and use: National libraries, universities, and cultural institutions have explored arkivave-inspired strategies to sustain access to scholarly outputs, born-digital records, and heritage media. Implementations range from fully distributed networks to hybrid systems with local repositories and cloud-preservation layers. Key considerations include cost, standards alignment, and staff expertise.

Challenges include maintaining long-term authenticity, managing evolving formats, and sustaining governance. Supporters argue that strong metadata, repeatable workflows, and cooperative networks are essential to realizing arkivave's preservation goals.

See also OAIS, PREMIS, METS, LOCKSS, digital preservation.