National Archives
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New signature file release for DROID

The National Archives has once again expanded the database used by our PRONOM service, as part of the ongoing partnership with Georgia Tech Research Institute and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in the United States.

The most recent collaboration has resulted in the addition of another 50 signatures, which we use to identify digital file formats. The total release for July offers 60 new signatures to the public and the digital preservation community for this purpose.

The DROID tool

With PRONOM, The National Archives maintains a record of 800 digital file formats. In conjunction with the DROID file format identification tool the database holds nearly 400 internal signatures.

When scanning a computer hard drive, the DROID tool identifies files based on these entries in the PRONOM database. Positively indentifying file formats is the first step to ensuring their long-term preservation, since it enables digital archivists to identify older file formats which may be in danger of obsolescence. It also allows them to develop migration strategies and the preservation tools needed to deal with them.

Download our latest version of DROID (DROID 6) for free.

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