Securing Nuclear Data for the next centuries
Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos, (ENRESA) is responsible for nuclear waste management in Spain, managing all documentation related to radioactive waste, dismantling of nuclear facilities and associated activities.
BACKGROUND
The nuclear industry has stringent requirements for the safe decommissioning and disposal of waste and nuclear plants, due to the potential for harm through mismanagement. Documents relating to sites that store nuclear waste are required to be kept throughout the lifetime of the waste generated, which in many cases is over 100 years.
CHALLENGE
It’s important for the future to have access to data about the waste storage plants and their contents for decision making on the possible reuse of the sites and surrounding controlled areas. Unfortunately, traditional digital storage technologies can not guarantee future-proof conservation for data over such long periods. The rate of technological evolution means that information must be migrated regularly. Over time, this becomes expensive and risky, especially for static information that needs to be kept authentic.
This is a shared challenge for many organisations who have critical data and digital assets that must be stored for long periods.
"The goal of Enresa is to leave the most valuable data in the best possible way for next generations and Piql guarantees this vision."
SOLUTION
For optimal records management, ENRESA stores data in archival format, with metadata in an online records management system. A duplicate of these records is made periodically to ensure recovery in case of contingencies.
Piql’s unique approach to long-term digital preservation is perfect for data that needs to be kept for decades or even centuries. Piql solution 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. All file specifications and program code are stored with the files themselves; thus the data can always be accessed and will never become obsolete. It also means that data is stored in original, authentic form and cannot be changed or deleted once stored, ensuring verifiable authenticity of the information. Piql is completely compliant with international information storage guidelines and shines against other mediums when it comes to longevity and authenticity. In particular, this project followed the EU eARK guidelines and the Administration metadata dictionary (eEMGDE) and electronic document standard (NTI).
FUTURE
For the pilot project, pdf/a documents were stored on piqlFilm, showing how the quality of the information is maintained and how files can be restored without risk of data loss or corruption. In addition, the information was also stored in visual form to demonstrate the unique offering of Piql in double assurance of future access. ENRESA chose Piql for a pilot project, to investigate the possible benefits of large-scale application of Piql’s technology and services.
The objective of pilot project is to show the Piql technology in real customer data and provide it with elements that allow it to analyse and evaluate the technical feasibility of preserving its digital data with Piql.
Following a successful pilot project, where ENRESA experiences the viability of the technology and its application to the organisation, Enresa and Piql are confident of the opportunity to deliver services on a larger scale.