There is a rather dramatic difference between retention schedules and
backup schedules.

Backups typically focus on which drives to copy to another storage
medium, regardless of the content of the information contained on that
drive. A retention schedule is a document (in electronic or paper form)
that defines the differing records series that exist within an
organization, the retention requirements (retention period) for that
record - based on legal, tax, audit, and/or operational need, the
disposition/destruction requirements for the record, and quite often,
additional information regarding where that record might reside as it
moves from an active, to an inactive record throughout it's (forgive the
expression) lifecycle.  

The term "schedule" means something quite different in the context of
the two different terms.  Backup "schedules" typically refer to
calendars, retention "schedules" focus on the different types of records
and on the length of time they need to be retained.

Email "records" are merely a form of record.  Do they require backup?
Yes, they most often do to protect against various disasters, including
the failure of a specific drive on which they are housed.  Do they ALSO
require inclusion within a Retention Schedule?  That's a definite yes.
Failure to incorporate email documents that can be classified as records
results in significant risk to anyone in the private sector.  

Based on your employment with a Bank, I'd look quite closely at all of
the regulations that affect your bank at the national and state levels.
You might also wish to search the Listserv Archives on the topic(s) of
backups and retention and electronic records for additional information.


My response here isn't especially elegant, perhaps there will be more
and better information posted...but I thought that I'd send a note back
now, while I can.

Douglas P. Allen, CRM, CDIA+
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