 |
 |
 |
Identification
The first step in assessing a file is to determine what type of file it is. Our software utilizes a variety of approaches to help make this determination.
Acumetric evaluates files based on algorithms developed at several national archives and education institutions. These algorithms look at the file and attempt to locate within it identifying characteristics that can be used to positively identify the file type. A high degree of certainty must exist for the utilized algorithms to authenticate a file as being stored in a particular data format.
File identification is a complex task. There is at present a large, and nearly impossible to quantify, number of data formats in use in the world. Acumetric relies on various authoritative resources to help determine the formats on which analyses should be provided.
Objective Analysis
By relying on others to set the standards Acumetric is able to maintain an objective stance in the evaluation of data and the merits of the associated data format.
File Extensions
Often it is assumed that one can simply look at a file extension (the numbers or characters after the period in the file name) to learn the type of file being evaluated. However, there are no groups, organizations, or agencies that administer file extensions. As a result file extensions can mean many different things. For instance, there are over eight different data formats associated with the 'doc' file extension. While this file extension is most often associated with word processing documents, using the wrong software to open a file could result in dire consequences.
Please contact Acumetric for more information.
