There are three ways to store electronic records – online, offline or nearline.
Online records are in storage devices that make them available for immediate retrieval and access, such as on computer servers. Generally, records stored online will be active, ie regularly required for business purposes.
Offline records are in a system or storage device that is not directly accessible through the agency network and which requires human intervention to be made accessible. Offline records are usually stored on removable media such as magnetic tape, CD or DVD. These are generally inactive electronic records not regularly required for business purposes.
Nearline storage of records means that they are contained on removable electronic storage media but remain relatively accessible through automated systems connected to the network. These records are technically considered to be offline. A system such as a CD jukebox or magnetic tape silo allows records to be accessible through agency networks in relatively short periods of time and without the need for human intervention – ie staff are not required to physically retrieve the storage media.
Generally, electronic records will begin life online. As the immediate business need to refer to them diminishes, they are moved to either nearline or offline storage.
This decision is made depending on the technology available, the ongoing relevance and value of the records and their retention requirements. See Keep, destroy or transfer for how to decide which records to keep, and Digital preservation planning for more information on the preservation planning process.
Digital Recordkeeping Guidelines have more information on how to select an appropriate storage method for your digital records as well as ideas on their maintenance and preservation.
If your agency is using a storage provider it is important to remember that it is still the agency's responsibility to ensure that the records are kept in appropriate conditions and can be accessed when required.
Records that are sentenced ‘retain as national archives’ under a Records Authority or General Disposal Authority may then be transferred to the National Archives. Once this occurs the agency is no longer responsible for the storage of those records. For more information, see Transferring records to the National Archives.