Long-term preservation
Heirloom Archive
Records and recordings, preserved for the generations after you.
Heirloom Archive is patient, long-horizon storage for material you want to keep for decades: scanned deeds, family video, business ledgers, oral histories. Files are checked on a schedule, copied across locations and kept alongside open-format versions wherever possible.
What is included
Considered in every detail.
- 01
Scheduled integrity checks
Fixity checks run on a regular cadence, and any file that drifts is repaired from a healthy copy.
- 02
Copies in separate locations
Three independent copies are held apart from one another, so a single failure never reaches your records.
- 03
Open-format guidance
We keep your originals and advise on open-format preservation copies that will still be readable years from now.
- 04
Rich cataloguing
Describe each item with dates, people, places and notes, so the archive makes sense to someone who was not there.
- 05
Legacy access
Name trusted successors who can open the archive under the conditions you set in advance.
How it unfolds
Four steps, unhurried.
- 1
Gather and catalogue
Bring your material together and describe it, with our templates to keep the cataloguing consistent.
- 2
Preserve and convert
Originals are stored untouched, and preservation copies are produced in durable formats.
- 3
Verify and replicate
Checksums are recorded and the archive is copied to its separate locations.
- 4
Review each year
An annual review confirms integrity results, updates successors and revisits retention dates.
Specifications
The particulars.
| Copies | Three, held in separate locations |
|---|---|
| Integrity checks | Scheduled fixity checks with repair from healthy copies |
| Retrieval | Standard retrieval within hours, expedited on request |
| Formats | Originals kept alongside open-format preservation copies |
| Retention | Custom holds and review dates per collection |
| Legacy access | Named successors with conditions you define |
Questions
About Heirloom Archive
Straight answers to what members ask most often.
How is an archive different from a backup?
A backup protects what you are working on today. An archive protects what you are finished with: it favours long-term integrity, careful cataloguing and slow, deliberate change.
How quickly can I retrieve archived files?
Standard retrieval takes a matter of hours. If you need something sooner, you can request expedited retrieval.
Can my family open the archive later?
Yes. You name successors in advance and define when and how they gain access, and you can change those choices at any time.