Preserving today’s digital data for tomorrow
Technology has transformed the world we live in, and at the heart of this change is data. It is expected that the volume of data in the world will grow from 33 zettabytes in 2018 to an expected 175 zettabytes in 2025. The EU has set priorities to increase data security, develop innovative tools to manage the increasing amount of data and at the same time reduce end-users’ data storage costs and their CO2 footprint. Responding to these priorities, the EU-funded Piql-GO project set out to upscale, pilot and commercialise their disruptive and patented ‘Piql System’ for ultra-secure storage and long term preservation of digital and analogue data. “The world is in danger of the digital era becoming a digital black hole. What will digital information from today be around in 20, 50 or 100 years from now? And what will be considered true in an age of fake information and fake news?” questions Katrine Loen, project coordinator. “Authentic digital information is an asset to society,” Loen adds.
Pioneering system
The Piql System is based on technology breakthroughs in converting a 35 mm photosensitive film into a digital, migration-free storage medium from which data can be retrieved but never hacked, manipulated or deleted. “This is achieved through storing binary information on film through very high-resolution Quick Response codes,” explains Loen. The innovative technology offers various benefits for clients, guaranteeing data authenticity, integrity and keeping data for centuries. Digital information requires the correct software to access files, and the rate of both software and hardware evolution makes this a key challenge. “We think the answer is ensuring the files, source code and format specification are stored together on the same medium. Plus, you need to be able to access the data independently of existing hardware or software,” adds Loen. This is the thinking behind Piql’s technology: ensuring users will always have access to their files and all that is needed to open them. The current market does not offer such a solution.
Breaking new ground
“The project has been instrumental in helping us to commercialise and validate our technology,” confirms Loen. Maturing their technology, the project developed a new software platform to perform preservation actions and provide access to data stored on ‘piqlFilm’, a 35 mm, ultra-high resolution nanofilm. A new ‘piqlReader’, which reads back the data from the piqlFilm, was also designed and delivered. It is compact enough to be on location at a client’s premises. Piql’s Arctic World Archive (AWA) was also further developed. It holds a collection of valuable digital artefacts and information from around the world. “We built further awareness of this initiative and are now attracting very well-known clients,” notes Loen. Expanding the market reach of Piql’s technology and services, new partners were established in eight countries. Through piloting activities, the project also acquired new clients, such as GitHub (United States), European Space Agency (Italy), Enresa (Spain) and the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum. Currently, the project is focusing on building on the software platform. “We are also developing a user interface for AWA that enables self service for clients and continuing to innovate with a key focus on sustainability and making our technology even better, more affordable and more available to clients around the world,” concludes Loen.
Keywords
Piql-GO, data, preservation, Piql System, digital and analogue data, data storage, secure storage, security
