> Salesperson #1 arrives at your reception and asks to speak to the person
>> who makes the decisions on electronic records, where would they send the
>> visitor?  Your office or to IT or to legal?

My everyone is testy today.  This was a hypothetical about how your organization and how records managers view the Electronic Records model.

Okay I’ll define it properly so you answer the question. The President of the company after playing golf with the salesperson walks him into the office, tells Security to walk this young consultant around the facility and tells the staff to be helpful as this consultant is trying to determine the current operation versus an optimal program outlined to the CEO over two cocktails.
> 
> They wouldn't send them anywhere, they would ask if they had an appointment
> and with whom. If they didn't have an appointment reception may or may not
> contact someone in either records or IT, but they aren't getting past
> reception.

In the NFPA 75 Standard which deals with computer room design, they define the issue of the electronic records in Chapter 9 as follows:

Chapter 9 Records Kept or Stored in Information Technology Equipment Rooms

9.1* Protection Required for Records Within the Information Technology Equipment Room. Any records regularly kept or stored in the information technology equipment room shall be provided with the following protection:

	• (1)  Vital or important records that have not been duplicated shall be stored in listed record protection equipment with a Class 150 1-hour or better fire resistance rating as out- lined in UL 72, Standard for Tests for Fire Resistance of Record Protection Equipment.

	• (2)  All other records shall be stored in closed metal files or cabinets.

9.2 Records Stored Outside of the Information Technology Equipment Room.

9.2.1* All vital and important records shall be duplicated. Duplicated records shall be stored in a remote location that would not be exposed to a fire involving the original records. Records shall be stored in fire-resistive rooms in accordance with NFPA 232, Standard for the Protection of Records.
> 
> Unless you have an appointment with me you’re not going to be allowed past
> reception having worked for 8 years for a certain software company I can attest that
> electronic records are no longer cutting edge and have been mainstream for
> quite sometime.
> 
Yet, just a short time ago Gary Link and I had a discussion on the Listserve and the role of Vital Records as Electronic Records was the discussion.  I wrote a White Paper with Gary to define what the state of the art was at that time.  

This question was asked as a “sense of the room” question as the NFPA will take up this question of Electronic Records and whether they should fall under NFPA 232 as a Protection of Records issue or NFPA 75 as a Server Room issue. Or maybe under NFPA 1600 as a Disaster Prevention/Business Continuity issue.

So while you were busy having me thrown out of the building you missed an opportunity to weigh in on a discussion of Electronic Records from a records manager’s point of view. 

This consultant would define it as follows:
Characteristics of an Electronic Record:

An electronic record must have in its capability the ability to preserve an official record as certifiably authentic, and any modification shall be traceable to observe specific changes to the record. Changes in software and hardware shall not affect the original copy or it ability to be read if it is an electronic record.  The electronic record upon creation shall be identifiable, be able to be stored for future reference, maintain accessibility over time and be able with proper care to have a reliable lifespan such that it can survive until the end of the required retention period or lifespan of the electronic record.

 Definition:

 Electronic records are informational or data files that are created and stored in digitized form through the use of computers and applications software. They are stored on various magnetic and optical storage devices and are products of computers and computer software. The format of an electronic document does not change the fact that it is a record, but its electronic form and its dependence on machines for creation and reference do change the way these records must be stored and managed.


 Electronic records regardless of the electronic records systems hardware, (microcomputers, minicomputers, or mainframe computers, regardless of storage media, in networked or stand- alone systems, including small computers, such as laptops, tablets, smart phones, memory typewriters, calculators, and embedded systems. Examples also include records stored on a server, silo, jukebox, or on magnetic media, such as tapes, disk packs, compact disks, or optical disks. 



Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
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