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 records
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:
- Create and maintain a hierarchical structure (file plan) for storing
records.
- Manage both electronic and physical records.
- Secure repositories that contain records.
- Create retention and disposal rules for records.
- Force archival or destruction of records that are based on these
rules.
- Control access to records.
- Retrieve records that are based on search criteria.
- Remove records that are no longer required by the organization.