The SAM analysis tools allow an archive to estimate the costs involved in a digital preservation project. They address different approaches to storage management and the costs involved in the digital preservation exercise itself. A further tool estimates the potential return on investment for various business models. Taken together they provide the basis for costing and putting forward a funding case for a preservation project.

The tools require you to enter data relevant to your archive. In the early stages this may be difficult to do so they can also provide typical data as the basis of an initial calculation. You can refine the data at a later stage. The tools are backed by tutorials which provide the background information you need to provide the information for the analysis.