Many organizations that have vintage Electronic Document Archive(s) will have an incentive to update to newer Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software and storage systems. This is especially the case when end-of-life hardware, such as optical libraries, is used for archival storage.

When moving to a different ECM platform, typically the need exists to migrate the unexpired legacy documents (scanned images, PDF documents, COLD reports, etc) and associated indexes to the new document archive. Format conversions, e.g. from AFP or Metacode to PDF may be required for the new environment. Whereas most platforms make it easy to ingest documents, there is typically no facility for the batch export of documents. Even when utilities or APIs exist to expose the data from the legacy archive, the available bandwidth is often not sufficient to make ‘online’ solutions feasible for all but the smallest archives.

Data Strategies Int'l, Inc. has over 20 years of experience with media conversion and data migration services. Our off-line migration services are unique in that they use technologies and processes that do not impact the customer’s day-to-day operations. Using the off-line approach, large scale data migrations and conversions are performed in the shortest time and the most cost-effective way. We offer our customers the option of performing the service either on-site or off-site, at our secure facility in Houston, Texas. Please visit our press releases for a list of recent projects.

Data Sources

If the legacy archive uses a regular file system for storage, a copy can typically be provided on USB or NAS storage. Otherwise, we utilize production optical platters, back-up optical platters, back-up magnetic tapes or extract data from CAS systems, such as Centera. Additionally, we request a backup of the archive database, which can be a proprietary one or one of the regular SQL databases (Oracle, MS SQL, etc).

Format Conversions

Data Strategies has ample experience with the format conversion of the document formats that originated on IBM mainframes, such as all MO:DCA types, AFP, AFPDS and Xerox Metacode/DJDE. We can extract fonts and other resources from the corresponding libraries on the legacy systems (including iSeries / AS400). When PDF is the target format, legacy fonts are converted to Adobe type 1 fonts that are embedded in the PDF files, thus yielding documents with maximum semblance to the originals.

Annotations

Annotations can be extracted from the source archive and delivered in a format that is compatible with ingestion into the target archive. Alternatively, they can be "burned" directly into the image files or superimposed on PDF files.

QC & QA Procedure

All our migration and conversion processes are database driven. This allows for efficient QA procedures and complete process audit-trail creation. Automatic data format validation plays an important part in the overall quality control of the migration process.

Data Delivery

The output documents and associated indexes are delivered on media of customer’s choice. Typically, we generate the control files or scripts that allow for the ingestion of the documents and associated indexes into the target archive. USB or NAS drives are nowadays the most common delivery media.

However, we can also generate application specific data tapes, e.g. for mainframe target archives. The service of ingesting the documents in the target archive can be provided by Data Strategies, although typically this is handled by the client or by the provider of the new archive solution.

Architecture

All data migration services provided by Data Strategies Int’l are performed off-line using our proprietary technology that is the result of years of development in the area of legacy data archive conversion.

Our conversion platform is characterized by a high degree of flexibility and modularity to easily adapt to a broad range of conversion types and project size. It is also continuously expanded to support additional formats/systems.

The modular Document Genie Migration Platform

(click on image to enlarge)

Contact Information

For additional information on our Document Migration Services, please contact:

USA
Dr. Johan de Haas
phone: 713-782-7183
e-mail: johan@go-dsi.com

Europe
Dr. Giancarlo Gaggero
phone: +39 339-489-4760
e-mail: ggdsi@go-dsi.com