Transparent Format Migration of Preserved Web Content

TL;DR

This paper presents a transparent format migration system for preserved web content in the LOCKSS digital preservation system, enabling seamless conversion to newer formats using HTTP content negotiation.

Contribution

It introduces an initial implementation of format migration that is transparent to readers, leveraging HTTP content negotiation capabilities.

Findings

Successful implementation of transparent format migration in LOCKSS

Migration process is seamless to end-users

Enhances long-term accessibility of web content

Abstract

The LOCKSS digital preservation system collects content by crawling the web and preserves it in the format supplied by the publisher. Eventually, browsers will no longer understand that format. A process called format migration converts it to a newer format that the browsers do understand. The LOCKSS program has designed and tested an initial implementation of format migration for Web content that is transparent to readers, building on the content negotiation capabilities of HTTP.