Source

Standard: Prime authoritative data source location

For data and documents created by business processes, the agency must clearly identify the prime authoritative data sources in which they can be found, which storage media are used, and how they can be retrieved.

Supports Policies: Source

Scope and Interpretation

This standard relates to instances where multiple copies of data elements or documents exist in different locations. See also Standards: Retrievability,Replication, Storage media. Knowledge of the physical storage media, location and available retrieval methods of prime data sources needs to be held by the Business Custodian. This is essential information to discover the true state of data source integrity.

Physical location may be a storage area, or a particular device or node on a computer network.

A prime source may be held outside the agency and be available under contract or legislation. In some cases a prime source may act as the source of replication to locations inside or outside the agency e.g. cabinet papers. In other cases multiple prime data sources, internal or external to the agency, may be used to produce a collated derived dataset.

When making an access request for personal information pursuant to the Privacy Act, the applicant should be provided with:

• information from the prime authoritative data source

• any replications of the prime authoritative data source within the agency that contain variations to the personal information (except where such disclosure is forbidden by law)

• certification that any non-supplied replications contain no variation from the original

• the name of any agency that has been provided with a replication of the data, or from whom the data was sourced.

Rationale

Identification of a prime authoritative source is a prerequisite for the application of all definition and integrity standards.

Standard: Synchronise data and document stores and publishing systems

Agency publishing systems must manage any required linkage or replication from data or document stores, and ensure superseded material is available when required.

Supports Policies: Source

Scope and Interpretation

Agencies must have systems to manage:

• The synchronisation of published data elements and documents replicated between data and document stores and other publishing systems at regular intervals

• Maintenance of dynamic links from the publishing system to identified data elements or documents in data or document stores where this is a feature of the publishing system

• Retention of superseded published documents such as superseded public policy including the period for which they were current policy

Examples of electronic publishing systems are:

• Any agency intranet publishing system

• New Zealand Government On Line or an agency website linked to NZGO for policy available outside the agency

• Any web site that permits users to make enquiries of the agency's publicly available data elements or document stores

Synchronisation requires version control of current, superseded and draft documents, and of current and historic data elements. This also requires the retention of superseded documents. See also Standard: Replication, Retention Requirements

Users go to the publishing system for the current versions of agency policies, and to either the publishing system or an approved document store to see the relationship of the current version to other versions of the policy. The Business Custodian must ensure systems are synchronised.

Rationale

Synchronisation ensures the publishing system is up to date, and is used as the authoritative source of official policy. Non-compliance with policy is minimised by maximising visibility and accessibility of policies and standards.

This also reduces the liability, and the risk of confusion over versions.