IBM Enterprise Records, Version 5.1.2   

Records management

Records management requires tasks such as planning, controlling, and organizing for the creation, storage, usage, retrieval, and disposal of records.

In the context of IBM® Enterprise Records, a record is metadata. Metadata is a file that references and contains information about another electronic file (document) or physical object.

Qualified people are needed to administer the object stores and properly prepare the records for archival and disposition. Also, design your object stores, file plans, folder, and records so that they make sense for the flow of documents at your site.

Electronic files
An electronic file or document might be a single file, a digital photo, or a set of related files that can be treated as one object. For example, a set of files is an email message and its attachments. Electronic files exist in object stores and other repositories. When you declare the document as a record, IBM Enterprise Records manages the document, including its security and possible classification. This security setting can change the access to the document. Therefore, the author of the document can be prevented from changing the document.
Physical objects
Physical objects might be videotapes, microfilm, hard disks, DNA samples, printed paper documents, and photos. They might be stored in boxes or file cabinets inside warehouses and other secure archival facilities. The record tracks the location of the physical object.

Objects that are declared as records are stored in a repository that is called a file plan object store (FPOS). A repository that contains documents that can be declared as records is called a Records repository or records-enabled object store (ROS). The following figure depicts the creation of records from different sources.

Figure 1. Documents, emails, videos, and other objects declared as recordsThe figure depicts how records can be stored in different repositories. One repository can contain web content, MS Office documents, and audio files. Another repository can contain email. A third repository can contain video tapes, microfilm, and CDs. A fourth repository can contain contracts, patents, and permits. Each record in the FPOS points to the information that is managed by the system.

A data model is a template for a file plan object store that complies with certain records management standards. The data model can include metadata and security features. You can use the Base, DoD, and DoD Classified data models.

Use IBM Enterprise Records to preserve valuable information as records by doing the following tasks:


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Last updated: November 2013
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