Digital Archiving and Long-Term Preservation Policy

Arrangements for retaining published material, creating backups, checking integrity and restoring access after technical failures, platform changes or cessation of publication.

01. Purpose and preservation principles

Irrigation and Melioration provides for the preservation of published scholarly content, its identifiability and its accessibility for future use. Preservation includes the ability to open files, establish their provenance and identify the current publication status, as well as retaining the files themselves.

A public web archive provides access to issues; a backup supports restoration of the working system; independent long-term preservation requires separate arrangements and confirmed transfer of material. A DOI, indexing, an “Archive” section or another copy on the same server does not establish independent preservation of the full text.

02. Responsibility and preservation plan

The Institute is responsible for organising storage of the journal’s electronic material, technical recovery and continuity of access. Its data centre and library participate in retaining backups. The editorial office is responsible for the completeness of the published collection and accurate article information and status.

An internal plan identifies responsible staff and deputies, backup contents, storage locations, inspection intervals, retention periods for backup versions and emergency procedures. Documentation and necessary authority are transferred when staff change; preservation must not depend on a single personal account.

03. Material covered

  • Published articles and issues in all available formats, illustrations, tables and supplementary files hosted by the journal.
  • Bibliographic metadata, identifiers, publication dates, copyright information and licences.
  • Corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, version information and links between the relevant records.
  • For system recovery: consistent copies of the database, file storage and necessary configuration.

Each archival package has an inventory of issues, articles and files, with its creation date. Gaps in older holdings, missing supplements and damaged files are recorded for recovery. Coverage of all years or formats is not claimed without checking actual holdings.

A link to an external dataset, code collection or repository does not mean the journal holds a copy. Responsibility for those objects follows the repository’s conditions and the material availability statement.

04. Backup frequency and independence

Backups of journal material are created at least monthly for retention at the Institute’s data centre and library. An additional recovery point is created when a new issue or article is published and before a substantial system change.

At least one copy must be held in an environment separate from the production server, with independent access permissions. Two folders on the same server do not count as independent copies. The plan addresses the risk of simultaneous loss through failure, accidental deletion or compromised access.

Every operation is logged with its date, responsible person, coverage, location and result. Failed copying requires correction of the cause and a new attempt. Creating a new backup file does not by itself establish completeness or recoverability.

05. Integrity checks and recovery

Checksums, file sizes and format information are retained. They are checked during transfer and according to a defined schedule. A mismatch is investigated: it may reflect corruption, an unauthorised change or a documented new version.

Recovery is periodically tested in a separate test environment. Checks cover opening articles and supplements, consistency with database records, links between publications and correct publication status. Successful backup creation does not replace a recovery test.

Test results, errors and remedial actions are documented. A damaged copy must not automatically overwrite a sound one. Test intervals and acceptable recovery times are set in the internal plan according to risks and available resources; work logs provide evidence of implementation.

06. Formats, readability and versions

Published originals and the information needed to render them are retained. Formats and dependencies are considered in preservation planning; where obsolescence poses a risk, a readable derivative copy is created and the conversion documented.

Text, equations, tables, figures and supplements are checked after conversion. The source file is retained unless a justified restriction applies. Changing format does not authorise changes to scientific content, authorship or licensing.

Corrected versions, notices and retractions are retained with dates and reciprocal links. A retracted article normally remains in the archive with a clear label and notice. Silent file substitution or restoration of an outdated version without identifying its status is not permitted.

07. Access and confidential information

The published open archive and operational backups have different access arrangements. Access to databases, unpublished manuscripts, reviews, personal information and configuration is limited to authorised people with a work-related need.

Backups containing confidential information are protected in storage and transit. Credentials and keys are not included in public archival packages. Recovery and testing must not expose restricted material.

Long-term retention of published articles does not mean indefinite retention of all personal information in the editorial system. Retention periods and restrictions for operational information follow the privacy policy and internal plan. Restricting access to published material follows the corrections and retractions policy.

08. External services and verified coverage

The journal does not currently claim preservation through PKP PN or LOCKSS. Institutional backups are not presented as external independent long-term preservation.

Use of another service is also stated only after participation terms, successful deposits and actual coverage are confirmed. Installing a plugin or sending a package without confirmation of receipt and preservation is insufficient for such a claim.

Once participation is confirmed, the service name, years and issues covered, identified gaps, verification date and available means of checking status are published. Information is updated when coverage changes. Access to preserved material follows the rules of the relevant service.

Local backups continue even when an external archive is used: preservation of published content does not necessarily include the database, accounts and settings needed to restore the website.

09. Platform changes and cessation of publication

A site transfer includes reconciliation of material before and after migration. Article identifiers, original dates, licences, supplements and correction or retraction status are retained. A transfer is not treated as a new publication of the same article.

DOI destination URLs are updated in registration records while existing DOIs are retained. Redirects from old pages are provided where possible and links are checked. A DOI does not itself store full text or replace arrangements for access.

If the journal ceases publication, the Institute and library implement a plan to continue archive access or transfer material to a suitable preservation environment. The plan identifies the receiving organisation, content, rights, responsibility for links and communication to readers. Transfer is complete only after receipt and accessibility have been verified.

After an incident, its scope and the latest verified recovery point are established. The restored archive is checked before access resumes; significant losses or restrictions are communicated to readers. An unverified full-recovery date is not presented as a guarantee.

10. Monitoring and enquiries

The policy is reviewed when the platform, storage arrangements, responsible units or external service change, and after a significant incident. Reviews assess the current plan, backup completeness, recovery results and whether public statements match the documented position.

Missing issues, damaged files, broken links or version discrepancies may be reported to i_m_jurnal@tiiame.uz. Identify the article or issue, DOI or URL, error and date of discovery. Do not attach passwords or confidential backups.

Professional guidance

This policy operates alongside the policies on open access, repository deposit, privacy and corrections. Links to external services explain preservation principles and do not confirm that the journal has deposited material with them.

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ISSN 2181-1369 (Online)