> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://fairsharing.gitbook.io/fairsharing/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://fairsharing.gitbook.io/fairsharing/fair-assistance/fair-enabling-databases/fair-a2-for-database-evaluation.md).

# FAIR A2 for database evaluation

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## A2 – Metadata are accessible, even when the data are no longer available

<https://doi.org/10.25504/FAIRsharing.7c4d7f>

FAIR Principle A2 requires that metadata remain accessible even when the data they describe are no longer available. Within the ARK-based benchmarks, this principle focuses on whether databases provide publicly available information describing their commitments to preservation and long-term sustainability.

Preservation and sustainability information are important FAIR-enabling characteristics because users, funders, database managers, and assessment services need to understand how a database intends to preserve its records and how it plans to remain available over time. Such information supports trust, stewardship, and long-term reuse of the content represented within the database.

The ARK-based benchmarks do not attempt to evaluate the quality, adequacy, or implementation of preservation or sustainability policies. Instead, they evaluate whether databases explicitly provide information describing these commitments.

The metrics associated with A2 evaluate the presence of preservation and sustainability information represented within FAIRsharing database records.

**Database FAIR-Enabling Characteristics**

<table><thead><tr><th width="101.01171875">Context</th><th width="173.28515625">Database FAIR-enabling characteristic</th><th>FAIRsharing operationalisation</th><th>Metric</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>🏛</td><td>Database declares a preservation policy</td><td>Presence of a non-empty <a href="/pages/7r34lbIpf4e7rvr71wML#data-preservation-policy">Preservation Policy</a> URL.</td><td><a href="https://fairsharing.org/8383">FAIR Metric - A2 - Metadata - Database declares preservation policy (registry evaluation)</a></td></tr><tr><td>🏛</td><td>Database declares a sustainability plan</td><td>Presence of a non-empty <a href="/pages/7r34lbIpf4e7rvr71wML#resource-sustainability">Resource Sustainability</a> URL.</td><td><a href="https://fairsharing.org/8387">FAIR Metric - A2 - Metadata - Database declares sustainability plan (registry evaluation)</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

**Future Work**

Future versions of the ARK-based benchmarks may evaluate the content, quality, or completeness of preservation and sustainability information. The current implementation is intentionally limited to assessing whether such information is present and discoverable through FAIRsharing.