Database Formats Transformed Through Connected Web Data
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has released a comprehensive list of database file formats and their corresponding technical characteristics, preservation categories, and archival metadata. This resource, available in the form of Linked Open Data (LOD) files in Terse RDF Triple Language (TTL) format, aims to facilitate digital preservation and interoperability efforts.
The list includes a variety of database formats such as FileMaker Pro (versions 3, 5, and 7) and FoxPro (versions 2.0 and 2.5). Each format is categorised under the "Databases" category, and detailed TTL files are provided for each, accessible at specific URLs like
Additional examples from NARA's offerings include DesignCAD for Windows Drawing, eXtensible Style Language, Flash Local Shared Object (LSO), High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF), and more. These TTL files describe the technical characteristics, preservation categories, and archival metadata related to each format.
This list is part of the broader Digital Preservation Framework maintained by NARA. The framework categorises digital records in multiple formats to support long-term access, providing standard metadata expressed in RDF/Turtle.
Users can find more formats or specific ones by visiting NARA’s Linked Data browse page, which offers additional entries with their categories, extensions, and TTL links. It's important to note that this list does not represent endorsed or recommended actions but serves as a valuable resource for digital preservation.
The plans also include the Digital Preservation Framework IDs for the listed file formats and tools, such as NF00126, NF00594, NF00137, NF00541, NF00542, NF00550, NF00152, NF00154, NF00155, and NF00551. Additionally, the plans incorporate the current NARA risk assessment and include file formats and variant versions in NARA holdings.
[1] This list and its associated metadata facilitate digital preservation by associating formats with categories and detailed metadata files, thereby supporting long-term access to digital records in multiple formats.
Data-and-cloud-computing technologies indeed play a significant role in revealing the attributes of various digital records, as demonstrated by the Terse RDF Triple Language (TTL) files provided for each database format in this comprehensive list. These files, available for formats like FileMaker Pro and FoxPro, not only describe their technical characteristics but also determine their preservation categories and archival metadata. The technology utilized in these TTL files fosters interoperability efforts and digital preservation within the broader Digital Preservation Framework maintained by NARA.
