Patent ID: 8087063

Claim:
A method for digitally preserving an electronic record in an electronic record archive system including at least one microprocessor, comprising: defining a preservation and service plan for the electronic record in a model stored in the electronic record archive system by the at least one microprocessor, the preservation and service plan including access requirements and authenticity requirements for a digital adaptation of the electronic record, and characteristics of the electronic record to be preserved in the digital adaptation of the electronic record, the model assigning a numeric value to each requirement and characteristic and to the relative importance of each requirement and characteristic; for each data type included in the electronic record, assigning a capability score to each digital adaptation processor configured to digitally adapt a data type, the capability score being indicative of the ability of the digital adaptation processor to meet the access and authenticity requirements and preserve the characteristics as valued in the model; and comparing the capability scores to determine the digital adaptation processor that most closely matches the model, wherein the access requirements comprise a location dependency, a device dependency, and/or a software dependency, the characteristics include a perceptual characteristic, a logical characteristic, a functional characteristic, a temporal characteristic, and/or a spatial characteristic, the authenticity requirements comprise a requirement for a certified copy and/or a normative requirement.