On 10/28/05, White, Bruce <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>  Most IT managers I know hate the records management
> business.  They would much rather establish and manage the infrustructure.

you betcha, plus they don't understand records management.

>
> Find a task the IT folks don't want to take on.  Volunteer to write policies
> on e-mail, back-up, data classification, etc.  Learn their language and make
> your self known.  Let them know you can make their life easier.  Chances are
> they'll want to work with you.  That has been my experience anyway...

at my previous employer the IT was upgrading the network servers.
However there was a problem. The servers contained about 6 terabytes
of unstructured data (if your not familiar with that term it refers to
word docs, spreadsheets, presentations and the desktop stuff we do),
ownership in many cases was unknown. No order was present. AND IT
didn't want to move this digital detritus to the new servers. What was
the answer? they contacted me - the records manager. The result? By
working together we came up with a viable solution, new policy and new
procedure. The solution? We downloaded the data to tape, if a user
went looking for a file we could reload the tape find the  file and
transfer it to them. so out of 6 terabytes of junk how much did we
have to reload? Would you believe 300 MB? yup that as all. We
restructured the new servers to take into account functional business
groups and wrote policies as to what could be placed on personal, work
or shared drives

At every opportunity i try to learn about the IT side. I receive
Information Week, ComputerWorld anything I can get for free. Don't
have time to read them all but I sure do sit down and scan through
them so I'm aware of the issues facing an IT dept. I'm also willing to
take the time to educate the IT folks who want to learn about records
management, but I make sure it is in terms that they understand.

IT wants nothing more than a smoothly operating network, records
management can help them with that.

and remember the intent of RAIN is to make you aware of stories and
issues that management may also be aware of, and to prepare you for
that eventuality

pak


--
Peter Kurilecz
Richmond, Va

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