Home / ubuntu / Questions / 23476
In Process
Anders Wallenquist
Asked: 2011-01-27 22:48:27 +0800 CST

What is the best solution for document archiving?

  • 772

I'm looking for a utility that helps me (and my colleagues) to archive documents in a systematic manner (Like Zeitgeist but permanent).

  1. The utility have to clean-out old document from desktops and store them on a server (as automatic as possible and consistent) maybe from just a few locations (Document directory)
  2. Documents shall be stored on cheap large media for many years to come - hard disk and file system maybe? Easy to maintain and manage for a small organization.
  3. Documents have to be easy to find and restore

One systematic manner could be a directory-structure by year, month, user or user, year, month. Its a plus if documents could be linked to a project, if documents could be search-able and if document could also be mail, IM-discussions not only OpenOffice traditional documents.

Any ideas?

software-recommendation

3 Answers

  1. you can dedicate an old PC (with big new HDD/s) as a backup server and install BackupPC

    • No client-side software is needed - just export via NFS backup dirs on the clients (for example /home/ or /home/username/Desktop etc.) or share folders on Windows stations
    • A powerful web user interface allows administration, view log files, configuration
    • file extensions can be defined for including / excluding files
    • uses rsync for fast backup

    separately you can implement web search on the linux server using Xapian or Omega

    • 3

  2. You can use a cloud computing services like Dropbox or UbuntuOne

    I advise you tu use Dropbox, you can choose between free(2gb+8by invites other people) or paid plan (50 or 100gb).

    You can share folders with other dropbox user or in read only way with anyone.

    And restore deleted files

    • 1

  3. While it's not based on Ubuntu, the museum I work for has evaluated Archivista . It's a software suite for storing, cataloging and indexing (and, if necessary, scanning and OCRing) documents that is available as a (somewhat non-standard) live CD called "Archivista BOX" (it's open source), but the company mainly sells appliances running the software. The catalog provides a web frontend.

    They claim that the formats used are entirely open, documented and strive for longevity. I must add that I personally have not evaluated that in great detail, though.

    • 0