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FL-Islandora Guide: How to setup and use Fixity

A guide for FL-Islandora users.

Intro

Our instance of Islandora 2.0 uses Discovery Garden DGI Fixity Module. The fixity module helps to determine each objects fixity, or state of being unchanged over time, for preservation purposes. This page explains how to configure the module for use.

Configuration

Our instance of Islandora 2.0 uses Discovery Garden's DGI Fixity Module. After Fixity has been installed there are some configuration settings to set. This page is meant for Admin users to set up.

1.  Log in hover mouse over Configuration in the Admin menu near top of the screen. Go down to Media and hover to the right and click on Fixity.

Screen Shot of green arrows pointing to Configuration menu, Media, and Fixity

 

2.  In the Fixity screen, it defaults to the Configuration settings. Under Fixity Checks and under File Selection, it defaults to All Files. If only the original file is needed to fixity check, choose from one of the 5 Original File choices.  In the Time elapsed box, the default is -1 month, so at least once a month. If more frequent or less frequent time is desired, click on the Relative Formats link, below the box, for acceptable values.  For the Batch size the default is 100 files. Again, you can increase or decrease the size. The greater the size of Files may cause more strain on the system.

Screen shot of Fixity Configuration File Selection page

 

3.  Scroll down to Notifications. Under Notification Status the default is Only if error. The choices are: Never, Always and Only if error.

Screen shot of green arrows pointing to Fixity Notification drop-down menu

4.  For User the default is admin (1). The User can be any user with Administrator or fedoraAdmin roles.  

Screen shot of green arrow pointing to Fixity User box with admin in it

5.  The Time elapsed box has -1 week as the default. Which means a week must pass between notifications. A less or more frequent time can be used. Click the Relative Formats for acceptable values. The Last notification area shows the last time a notification was set and when the next time another notification will be sent. Clicking the Reset button seems to make the Last notification area to disappear. I assume this allows a notification to come right after fixity is run? Click the Save configuration button when done with all the configurations. A Status message appears stating the configuration options have been saved.

Screen shot of green arrows pointing to Time elapsed and Last notification

Screen shot of green arrows pointing to Last Notification gone and Save configuration

Screen shot of Fixity Status Message with configuration options save

Fixity Check

1.  Next to Configuration is Check. Click on Check.

Screen shot of green arrow pointing to Check on Fixity page

2.  In the Check screen allows to perform Fixity checks manually instead of a cron job. Checking the box will allow checking the file regardless of the time elapsed since the previous check was performed on the file.

Screen shot of Check page with green arrows pointing to Skip time elapsed check and Check button

3.  A status bar will appear, and when it is done a status message will appear showing files checked, and basic information including if any failed.

Generate

After Check there is Generate. Click Generate when Fixity is installed. It should only be required during that time.

Screen shot Generate page with green arrow pointing to Generate button

Dealing with Fixity Failures

1.  To see a more detailed report on Fixity runs, hover your mouse on Reports and select Fixity Report.

Screenshot of green arrows pointing to Reports and Fixity report

 

2.  To see if there is any Failed Fixities, near the top of page, select Failed from the State drop-down menu and click the Filter button.

Screenshot of Fixity report page with green arrows pointing to State drop-down menu, Failed and the Filter button

 

3.  The Failed fixities will now be the only fixities showing. The report will show the file name under Check. The reason for failure under State. When it was checked last under Performed.

Screenshot of Fixity report page with green arrows poining to Check, State and Peformed columns

 

4.  Some failures might be from the item being deleted by the user since the last fixity check. Clicking on the name of the file only shows that it is missing. You will have go back to the item that the image or other item belongs to and see if the item views correctly. If so, click on Media to double check the item is there.  

Screenshot of green arrows pointing to Media in menu and picture of flag on the moon.

 

5.   If the item was deleted on purpose since the last fixity run, the next fixity will reflect that and not show a failure. If still shows up just email help@flvc.org to ask us to take a look.

6.  If an item wasn’t deleted and the item shows up in the media area but has a fixity failure it could mean the file is corrupt and will need to be re ingested. First you can also email us at help@flvc.org to take a look.