oais

Open Archival Information System (OAIS) is an ISO/CCSDS standard (ISO 14721) that provides a conceptual framework for an archive that preserves information over the long term and ensures that it remains accessible to a designated community. It defines a common vocabulary and set of concepts used in digital preservation to guide the design and operation of archives.

OAIS defines a set of functional entities that manage the lifecycle of preserved information: Ingest, Archival Storage, Data Management, Administration, Preservation Planning, and Access. These functions describe how information is received, stored, managed, planned for future preservation, and made available to users.

At the core is the OAIS information model, which specifies how information is packaged and described for preservation. Information Packages (IPs) flow through the archive: Submission Information Package (SIP) moves into the archive; Archival Information Package (AIP) represents the preserved object; and Dissemination Information Package (DIP) is delivered to users. Each IP contains Content Information, which includes the Content Data Object and required Representation Information to interpret the data. The IP also includes Packaging Information and Preservation Description Information (PDI), the latter comprising Provenance, Context, Reference, and Fixity to document authenticity, lineage, meaning, and integrity.

OAIS introduces the concept of the designated community—the user community for whom the preserved information must be understandable without additional archival interpretation. The model is widely used in digital preservation practice and serves as a basis for many implementations and mappings to other standards, helping organizations plan and execute long-term preservation programs.