Cheri Adams writes: 

> Do any of your organizations have a Vital Records Program in place?  If 
> so, did you classify your vital records into different vital record 
> classifications?  According to the ARMA International ANSI/ARMA 5-2003 
> Vital Records Programs: Identifying, Managing, and Recoverying 
> Business-Critical Records publication (ANSI/ARMA 5-2003) they recommend 
> doing so with the classifications listed below.  
> 
>         Vital A:  Essential for emergency operations.
>         Vital B:  Essential for immediate resumption and continuation of 
> business following a disaster.
>         Vital C:  Essential for legal or audit purposes. 
> 
> My organization's legal counsel is questioning the need to classify the 
> vital records into different classifications.  They feel that only one 
> classification is necessary and that is "vital".   It's either vital or 
> it's not & if it's vital it needs to be backed up.  Classifications don't 
> matter.

Yes, a vital record is a vital record and needs to be protected. 

However, some vital records must also be linked to business continuity 
programs. I believe that was the intent of the various classificaitons. 

So, rather than determining a degree of 'vitalness,' the classifications 
actually define the level of accesibility that that type of vital record 
must have. 

Obviously, Classes A & B need quicker and easier retrievability when an 
emergency or disaster occurs than Class C, and may require a different 
manner of preservation to assure that retrievability. 

Al 

--  

Alan A Andolsen CMC CRM
President
Naremco Services Inc.
60 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10165 

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