> From: PeterK <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Nigeria - Data disaster

In my tenure in the field of vaulting and protecting records (38 years) I have read so many articles about lost data and so few about actual success in long term preservation.

Remember "Digits to Dust" and how some reacted and others did not. Migration problems was another milestone in losses. Then all the issues of passwords, hacking and then virtualization which led to the Cloud.  

The IT World has accelerated data loss in number of events and volume per event.  Over the last 30 years (to my knowledge) no one from IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, or Dell has stepped up to state that they will place preservation of information as a key element of their product design.  Some off-brand technology like Rosetta Stone and FIRELOCK exist to try to protect records for the long term but there, we rely on the market to preserve those brands.  In an economic downturn some of our best preservation models may fail because of economic reasons. Just as war ( World War I & II) destroyed so many artifacts and records; or, the recent article about losses in the 911 Disaster, depressions wipe out protection methodologies and mindsets.

We have installed over 150 vaults in the offsite storage arena but the mergers and acquisitions of one investment group buying up another and moving all the records and back-up tapes to "huge" new warehouses and the tapes move from Class 125 Vaults into non-media rated climate controlled rooms. Protection can be lowered even as the sites target value rises for a disgruntled employee or a terrorist. Many times with the Owner of the records having no awareness of the change in protection level.

These new warehouses place new risks on the records stored as the volume of records that could be destroyed is major issue. When you have millions of boxes and tapes all destroyed in one event and entire community is affected. These fires will be a 911 type disaster for records collections.

Now we find that (according to the National Fire Protection Association in the NFPA Journal  July/August edition) the NFPA and Fire Marshals are reacting to these huge warehouses with a suggestion that these fires are simply too dangerous to fight with crews entering the facilities.  This increases the chances of monumental records loss.

Ironically, the root cause of the lowering of the guard is the failure of records managers and IT managers working together to develop a platform for protection that must be provided. The Federal Government has passed legislation dictating more punishment for failure to protect records ( SOX, ESI, Rule 26, HIPAA and on and on) but requirements to protect cannot keep pace with the new technologies and corporate activities that increase risk.

Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
[log in to unmask]
(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM


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