Questions about OAIS Conformance

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OAIS Conformance

(The section numbers referred to below are those in the OAIS standard)

Repositories can provide evidence as to the degree to chich they comply with OAIS. OAIS (section 1.4) states:

A conforming OAIS Archive implementation shall support, and be able to map to the components of, the model of information described in 2.3 and 4.3, which provides more formal definitions of the model using UML. The OAIS Reference Model does not define or require any particular method of implementation of these concepts.

A conforming OAIS Archive shall fulfil the responsibilities listed in 3.2. Subsection 3.3 provides examples of the mechanisms that may be used to discharge the responsibilities identified in 3.2. These mechanisms are not required for conformance.

A conformant OAIS Archive may provide additional services that are beyond those required of an OAIS.

This reference model does not specify a design or an implementation. Actual implementations may group or break out functionality differently.

It is assumed that implementers will use this reference model as a guide while developing a specific implementation to provide identified services and content. This document does not assume or endorse any specific computing platform, system environment, system design paradigm, system development methodology, database management system, database design paradigm, data definition language, command language, system interface, user interface, technology, or media required for implementation.

The OAIS Reference Model is designed as a conceptual framework in which to discuss and compare Archives. As such, it attempts to address all the major activities of an information-preserving Archive in order to define a consistent and useful set of terms and concepts. A standard or other document that claims to be conformant to the OAIS Reference Model shall use the terms and concepts defined in the OAIS Reference Model in the same manner. Subsection 1.6.2 defines OAIS terminology and is normative.

To summarize, to be conformant with OAIS, an Archive must support the basic terminology specified in section 1.6.2, must be able to map its practices to the OAIS Information Model, which is defined at very high level in 2.3 and in more detail in 4.3, and must also fulfill the Mandatory Responsibilities specified in 3.2.

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