GLOSSARY
Private Cloud. The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a single
organization comprising multiple consumers (e.g., business units). It may be owned, managed,
and operated by the organization, a third party, or some combination of them, and it may exist on
or off premises.
Community Cloud. The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a specific
community of consumers from organizations that have shared concerns (e.g., mission, security
requirements, policy, and compliance considerations). It may be owned, managed, and operated
by one or more of the organizations in the community, a third party, or some combination of
them, and it may exist on or off premises.
Public Cloud. The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for open use by the general public. It
may be owned, managed, and operated by a business, academic, or government organization, or
some combination of them. It exists on the premises of the cloud provider.
Hybrid Cloud. The cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more distinct cloud
infrastructures (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities, but are bound
together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability
(e.g., cloud bursting for load balancing between clouds).
Controlled Unclassified Information. Program established by Executive Order 13556 that
standardizes and simplifies the way the Executive branch handles unclassified information that
requires safeguarding or dissemination controls, pursuant to and consistent with applicable law,
regulations, and government-wide policies. NARA is designated as the Controlled Unclassified
Information (CUI) Executive Agent
Convenience File. Non-record copies of correspondence, completed forms, publications, and
other information maintained for ease of access and reference. Sometimes referred to as
“working files.”
Copy. A reproduction of the contents of an original document, prepared simultaneously or
separately, and usually identified by function or by method of creation. Copies identified by
function may include action copy, comeback copy, file or record copy information or reference
copy, official copy, and tickler copy. For electronic records, the action or result of reading data
from a source, leaving the source data unchanged, and writing the same data elsewhere on a
medium that may differ from the source. See non-record material and records.
Cross-reference. A procedure used to show the location of a document that may be filed, because
of content, under more than one subject.
Current Records. Records necessary to conduct the current business of an office and therefore
generally maintained in office space and equipment. Also called “active records.”
Custody. The guardianship of records that in a strict sense includes both physical possession
(protective responsibility) and legal title (legal responsibility). For example, OSD records
transferred to an FRC are in the PHYSICAL POSSESSION of that facility but legal title to them
remains with the OSD and access may be granted only with the approval of the originating
Agency; when accessioned by the National Archives, legal title, and physical possession then