Keeping Emulation Environments Portable

Keeping Emulation Environments Portable ( KEEP) is a co-funded by the EU EU research project (Seventh Framework Programme (ICT- 2007.4.3 Digital libraries and technology - enhanced learning (ICT- 2007.4.3 ))). The project was first introduced by Andreas Lange (Director of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin) in September 2008 and is headed by Elisabeth Freyre of the French National Library.

  • 8.1 KEEP ( Keeping Emulation Environments Portable)
  • 8.2 Related Projects

Motivation

It is the long-term availability of digital objects of various kinds (eg, computer games ) can be guaranteed in its original context. In concrete terms, the disappearance of digital works because Planned Obsolescence, Abandonware and non - availability of the original execution environment (hardware, operating system ) can be prevented.

Previous approaches for long-term archiving based on migration / porting of digital objects to new platforms. However, it is often a migration due to the lack of source code almost impossible to remain the emulators.

On the other hand, is a complete emulator very expensive to develop, or it is to port to a new platform or another operating system also difficult. This overhead should be reduced by a framework.

In the project KEEP a framework for emulators is developed which will allow the most accurate possible reproduction of static and dynamic objects (eg, text, sound, images, multimedia documents, websites, databases, video games, etc.).

Project goal

General stated aim of the project is to ensure the long-term availability of cultural heritage through the development of flexible access tools and storage of a wide range of digital objects. KEEP intended here to consider all aspects of ensuring the original bits on the disks to the creation of on-line services to end users with the help of a highly portable emulation platform that runs on all types of equipment. In addition to creating a software package, the project will explore how to integrate into ongoing long-term digital archives on emulation -based solutions.

Important properties of the emulation platform

Long-term availability

KEEP is to ensure the long-term availability of digital objects of various kinds in their original context. This will be made ​​possible by the integration of existing and new emulators of created within the so-called emulation framework.

Portability

An important property of the emulation platform in KEEP is portability. The so-called emulation framework in KEEP uses virtualization by it touches on a universal virtual machine, which allows for easier portability, if the target system with its own operating system threatens to become obsolete.

Interoperability

The exchange between different institutions is excited by guidelines for long-term preservation of digital objects, their metadata, and their original context in terms of emulation.

Media Migration

KEEP provides groundwork for other large-scale, media migration programs through its research in the area of ​​migration of existing digital objects of obsolete media on current media.

On-line access

With support for remote emulation via the emulation framework to emulate platform should provide access to digital objects at any time and any place. However, this property is possibly as not feasible by existing copyright law and by laws protecting intellectual property.

Reuse of Information

The emulation platform is to offer innovative services to as simply to extract information from the original objects or even be able to add, to the extent permitted by the legislation.

Financing

The total budget of € 4.02 million. From this amount, 3.15 million come from the Seventh Framework Programme (ICT- 2007.4.3 Digital libraries and technology - enhanced learning (ICT- 2007.4.3 )) of the EU.

Term

February 1, 2009 - January 31, 2012 (3 years)

Partner

The KEEP project consortium consists of:

  • Bibliothèque nationale de France, France ( Work Package 7 - Project coordination, coordination of Work Package 5 - integration, test and validation )
  • Joguin SAS, France (coordination of Work Package 4 - Portability of emulation framework )
  • Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Netherlands (coordination of Work Package 2 - Core Emulation Framework)
  • Computer Game Museum, Germany
  • University of Portsmouth, UK (coordination of Work Package 3 - Meta -data research and front -end emulation framework )
  • German National Library, Germany (coordination of Work Package 1 - Media Transfer )
  • Cross Czech as, Czech Republic (coordination of Work Package 6 - Dissemination )
  • Tessella plc, UK
  • European Games Developer Federation, Sweden
Software framework Software suite System integration
470657
de