Preserving digital information for a very long time is difficult even when using a durable passive storage medium such as photographic film stored under the right conditions. On film one can combine analog descriptions, i.e. visual and thus human-readable text and diagrams, with encoded digital information. After hundreds of years, however, the formats used to represent and encode this information may have been forgotten, and any surviving source code may not simply be compiled and run. Explaining how to interpret data stored in a complex format runs the risks both of errors made today and of future misunderstandings. We present a solution based on (1) a very simple abstract machine, (2) independent, technology-neutral descriptions of the machine, preserved in analog form and aimed at future programmers and mathematicians, respectively, and (3) a C compiler targeting this machine. Currently, our toolset supports storing and retrieving data in the formats JPEG, TIFF and PDF/A, but other formats can be easily be added by adapting existing C programs for processing these formats. Binaries for the abstract machine are preserved alongside the digital information and the machine descriptions so that future generations can decode and present the information simply by implementing this machine.

Using a Petri net engine to manage workflow processes requires additional interfacing software to connect the Petri net to the real world. Furthermore, changes in the real world or in the process model must often be reflected in the interfacing software, thus creating a potential consistency problem. We present a Petri net-based software architecture in which workflow processes are described as Petri nets, and where the relationships between Petri net parts and real world entities are described as metadata in the Petri net, thereby making the interfacing software generic as well as eliminating the consistency problem. The core element of the architecture is a Petri net engine that allows metadata to be stored in hierarchical colored Petri nets. Another element of the architecture is a generic interface process that queries the Petri net for its contained metadata that describes how to communicate with the real world entities. Finally, the architecture contains a set of communication protocols that are used for the real world communication. As an example we present an application from the printing industry.

We propose a new preservation method for relational data and a corresponding tool. The method involves writing a specification that can later be executed by the tool without user interaction, transforming the input files and databases into an encapsulated package suitable for archiving. Thus, the transformation steps become reproducible, which facilitates automation by reusing the specifications and allows for an iterative process, where for each iteration the specification is extended or adjusted and then executed to check that the result is closer to fulfilling future access requirements.

When a database system is decommissioned, retaining its data, structure, and query capabilities is often crucial for future restoration and access. The Immortal Database Access (iDA) solution focuses on preserving decommissioned databases along with their stored information and retrieval functionalities. Building upon the Immortal Virtual Machine (iVM) technology, iDA provides tools that ensure long-term preservation of databases on physical storage media. This includes not only safeguarding the stored content but also enabling its regeneration with functional search capabilities. For this purpose, two innovative elements are introduced: DbSpec, a new language for managing the decommissioning process, and a Read-Only Access Engine (ROAE) which serves as an interface to future users who wish to retrieve the decommissioned information stored on the long-term substrate. ROAE complements the SIARD (Software Independent Archiving of Relational Databases) standard. Although SIARD is effective at preserving database data and metadata, it lacks the ability to capture the essential search and query functions necessary for meaningful information retrieval. iDA addresses this limitation, ensuring that decommissioned systems remain accessible and functional for future users.