ESSArch Digital Archive vs RODA

ESSArch Digital Archive is an open-source solution for long-term preservation of digital information. It is storage independent and can be integrated into an existing environment. Its OAIS-compliant archival model covers pre-ingest, ingest, preservation, access, data management, administration, and management; individual components can also be used separately. Documented workflows include preparing and submitting information packages, receiving and approving ingests, accessing storage units, and disseminating material. Archive maintenance functions include appraisal, format conversion, archival description management, and migration between storage targets. A REST API documents endpoints for descriptions, events, packages, search, storage, profiles, notifications, and orders. Deployment documentation covers Docker and Python installation, plus an automatic installer for several listed Linux distributions. Supported server systems also include Windows Server 2019. The software is free and open source; service and support are regulated through a maintenance contract. ESSArch was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Saltsjö-Boo, Sweden. Its stated customers include public- and private-sector organizations, including the National Archives of Sweden and Norway.

RODA is a long-term digital repository for ingesting, managing, preserving and providing access to digital content. Its functions cover the main units of the OAIS reference model. Ingest workflows validate submission packages, scan for viruses, identify formats and extract technical metadata; they can also migrate files to more preservable formats. Users can search and browse a catalogue using descriptive metadata and text extracted from documents. Repository managers can manage representation information and risks, define retention and disposal policies, and run preservation actions including format conversion, checksum verification and virus checks. RODA records PREMIS metadata for object actions, monitors integrity and logs human and software interactions. It supports OAIS, METS, EAD, Dublin Core, PREMIS and E-ARK Information Package specifications, and exposes functionality through a REST API. Integration options include filesystem packaging, relational database extraction with DBPTK, APIs and drop folders. The site describes its services as scalable across multiple servers and suitable for organizations with millions of digital objects. Community Edition is free at free and is intended for mid-sized organizations; commercial plugins, integrations and professional support are excluded.