Archivematica Sandbox

Introduction

A sandbox environment allows users to experiment with an application without affecting live data. In this exercise, you’ll use Archivematica’s sandbox to explore how digital archivists process and ingest Information Packages using a digital preservation system.

What is Archivematica?

Archivematica is an open-source digital preservation system that automates tasks through “microservices” (see week 4 slides for a definition of a microservice) to streamline Submission Information Package (SIP) transfers, ingest, and the creation of Archival Information Packages (AIPs) and Dissemination Information Packages (DIPs).

Important Notes:

  • The sandbox clears data daily around midnight, so any session data, logs, or work in progress will be lost by the next calendar day. Please keep this in mind and try, if possible, to do this assignment in one session (preferably before the clock strikes midnight!)
  • If a job fails, don’t worry: note it and move on. Failed jobs won’t halt the entire process (this is the beauty of a microservice!)
  • You must run through the Tasks at least twice. Please set aside 1-2 hours max for this activity.

Steps to Take

Open the Sandbox

  1. Open the Archivematica Website in a new browser tab.
  2. Click the Demo menu item.
  3. In the “Try our sandbox” menu, click the Launch button.
  4. Log in using these credentials:
    • Username: demo@example.com
    • Password: demodemo
    • If you see a data breach or change your password warning from your browser, click OK – this is expected for a publicly-exposed generic username/password.

Open the Archivematica Documentation

  1. In another browser tab, open the Archivematica Website again.
  2. Click on the Documentation menu item and select the version labeled “stable-current.”
  3. Read through the entire Getting Started section to familiarize yourself with Archivematica’s user interface and workflow. There will be links out to other documents: you can optionally drill down into these pages, but no need to click and read each and every one of them (but it’s a good idea to peak at things you are curious to learn more about.)
  4. Open the Archivematica Quick-Start Guide and read the intro paragraph. I also recommend you skim through the steps at least once, just to get a sense for the order and outcome of the next steps.

Perform the Tasks

  1. Complete Tasks #1-#5 (skip step #0, and any other tasks/steps listed that are specific to setting up or using a Virtual Machine or VM).
  2. During Task #5, there is a step that says: “Review the different options and make changes as you like.”
    • Along with adjusting the compression algorithm (as the guide suggests), I would like you to make one additional change.
    • This change can be anything – it’s an opportunity to experiment with Archivematica’s settings.
  3. After making your change, first, hypothesize what the outcome of your change will be. Step through the tasks again (or at least far enough to see the effect of your adjustment).

Please note: The sandbox is a shared environment. This means that if you make a change to the environment, it may have an effect on another person’s session. Or, you may be subjected to another person’s session changes. This can get a bit tricky and may lead to some frustration or collision courses. If that’s the case, and your change is not yielding your hypothesized result, note it, and move on. No need to struggle with the system too much.

Submit to Brightspace

After completing the tasks, submit a one-paragraph reflection addressing:

  • Were any Archivematica steps confusing? If so, explain why.
  • Did any jobs fail? If yes, which ones, and any guess why?
  • What additional setting/step did you adjust?
    • Describe the change, what your hypothesis was in terms of outcome, whether it worked. Describe any issues or odd behaviors you may have encountered. You can optionally include screenshots of any errors or successes.

Come prepared to discuss your adjustment

In class, we will go around the room, and each student will have 3-5 minutes to discuss:

  • The adjustment they made in Task #5
  • The results they observed when running through Tasks 1-4 again.

No need to prepare slides. This will be an informal discussion at the beginning of class.