Council on archives international records management trust

Technological Trends

Computers generate large volumes of paper records that can be managed using the techniques described in other training modules in this series. However, governments are increasingly choosing to not only create records electronically, but also to store, retrieve and use them in computerised form for long periods. The management of electronic records presents new and complex challenges to the record keeper, and this is already beginning to revolutionise the way records professionals approach their work.

Electronic records management provides the catalyst for records managers and archivists to become involved in the design of information technology systems to ensure that records are controlled from the beginning of the records life cycle. Controls must be applied from the outset if the records are to be protected as reliable sources of information over time. Moreover, because the control of electronic records is dependent upon technology, records professionals must become more aware of how different technologies work and how they affect records and record keeping.

Electronic records must be controlled from the point of creation.

From the first mainframe computers in the 1940s and 1950s to the introduction of the personal computer (PC) in the 1980s and networked computers in the 1990s, the evolution of information technology has been dramatic. It is important, however, to focus on the changing nature of the applications supported by the technology rather than the technology itself.

Applications support a range of functions from managing financial and human resources, to processing applications for licenses, to preparing reports and correspondence. Records are created and used by applications. To understand changes in records, it is necessary to understand the changes taking place in the design of these applications.

There are three major trends in information technology development and in the applications available to create and manage data and records: mainframe computing, personal computers and networking. Records professionals may experience examples of one, two or all three of these in the agencies in which they work. The main issues involved with these three trends are summarised here.

For a detailed discussion of how each of these technologies actually operates, see Understanding Computers: An Overview for Records and Archives Staff.

Mainframe Computing

‘Batch processing’ refers to the computer processing in groups, or batches, of data accumulated in advance, or over a period of time, without the user being able to make changes during the processing. The output of batch processing was aggregated data that could be used in summaries, bills, accounts and other business documents, as well as in reports and in analysis of scientific research.

Mainframe computers were expensive to acquire and operate. They required complex software that was developed for each new type of application. Most organisations set up separate computing departments and hired specialised systems analysts, programmers and computer operators to run and maintain operations. These specialists decided which hardware and software would be used, which applications lent themselves to automation and how the systems should be designed.

During the 1960s, computer manufacturers introduced the concept of ‘time-sharing’, allowing several users to access the computer simultaneously. Time-sharing gave rise to an early form of computer networking and remote access and stimulated the development of new kinds of software. New software, together with declining costs for running and storage, made it possible for organisations to automate more complex tasks and applications (such as managing law enforcement information, natural resources information, regulatory licensing and so on). However, the design of the systems and the operation of the computers remained a specialised technical area distant from users.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the impact of mainframe-based applications on records management was not apparent. Most computer centres established ‘tape libraries’ and handled the storage, disposal and recycling of machine-readable media. For records managers, the most obvious impact of early automation was a rapid increase in printed output from computer systems, which added to the growing volume of paper records. The prevailing view of electronic records at this time was that they were special media records. They were primarily valuable because of their informational content while records that were needed as evidence of actions and decisions were printed on to paper and stored in established filing systems.

During this period, the experience of archivists was restricted almost exclusively to the appraisal, acquisition and preservation of computer files containing the results of social science research (such as opinion polls and census data). Some large databases were also appraised and acquired, but archivists were primarily concerned with data files. The initial machine-readable archives programmes in the National Archives of the United States and Canada, the only two archival institutions in the world to support such programmes during this period, were modelled on data libraries.

By the 1990s, as personal computing and networking became more common, many information technologists were predicting the demise of mainframes. However, mainframes continue to be used to support important applications for organisations across a wide range of industries. Despite the fact that they represent a smaller percentage of the global market for information technology, the bulk of the world’s data is still stored on mainframes.

Write a brief memorandum answering the following questions.

Does your organisation currently make use of, or has it ever made use of, a mainframe computer? What business activity does it support? What department is responsible for operating and maintaining it? How is input into the system? What happens to the inputs? What are the outputs form the system? What happens to the outputs? Are there backup-up procedures for the information contained in the mainframe, if so, what are these procedures? Who is responsible for maintaining backups and where are they maintained?