Editing Digital preservation (section)

===Replication===
Creating duplicate copies of data on one or more systems is called ''replication''.  Data that exists as a single copy in only one location is highly vulnerable to software or hardware failure, intentional or accidental alteration, and environmental catastrophes like fire, flooding, etc. Digital data is more likely to survive if it is replicated in several locations.  Replicated data may introduce difficulties in refreshing, migration, versioning, and [[access control]] since the data is located in multiple places.

Understanding digital preservation means comprehending how digital information is produced and reproduced. Because digital information (e.g., a file) can be exactly replicated down to the bit level, it is possible to create identical copies of data. Exact duplicates allow archives and libraries to manage, store, and provide access to identical copies of data across multiple systems and/or environments.