> From: Carolyn Mariani <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Backup Tapes as a Records Series - Question from a Newbie
>
> Over the years I developed a belief that backup tapes (in general
> and not linked to any
> specific content) should not be categorized as a record series
> because they
> are objects of a process (system recovery). When a retention
> period is
> assigned, it is done to support that process rather than based on
> the content
> of the information.
If I take a room full of records and put it on a truck moving to a
warehouse, do those
records cease to be records while in transport?
> I also think that the whole process should be controlled
> by the IS/IT group responsible for the process. That includes
> contracting
> with a vendor to pick-up, store, rotate, deliver and destroy the tapes
> as required.
Since the records are on a truck should I put all responsibility to
what happens
to the records in the hands of a shipping dispatcher? While the
truck is moving
is the truck driver the records manager?
>
> I have been in several discussions lately where this philosophy is
> being
> called into question. That backup tapes, even though assigned a short
> retention period, should appear on the records retention schedule,
> and that
> the corporate records management group should take responsibility for
> sending them to storage and retrieving and rotating them. The main
> driver is
> that RM group has staff and IT doesn't.
To me the issue is not the staff but the fact that the records
manager views what
is on those tapes as records and no one else does. They merely view
them as
a component of recovery. Many IT guys would view a full tape of
information
and a blank tape being loaded into the system as equal in value.
The unique value of the records manager is that you view the tape or
cartridge
as being records in a large format.
I keep telling everyone, get involved in protecting the records that
IT creates and
don't get hung up on whether they are in a bog truck or a just a
large tape riding
in a van or sitting in your vault.
If I take 200 file folders and put them in a records storage box are
they not still records?
Do you refuse to manage the box because your knuckle heads in legal
put them in the
box with different dates? Or they mixed accounting records with
human resources?
In our new world, maybe the records series is now, documents that are
processed on
8/16/07. Since electronic records are so easily searched that date
is just an arbitrary
place mark. Because if you want to be specific and find the escrow
statement for Hugh
Smith's residence, you will look in a file folder that contains the
Mortgage Loan Documents,
the Title and Deed, the Insurance and Title insurance.
I think assigning individual units of media a retention schedule is
fine as the main frame or the
disk to disk or the Server Vault is the Vital Records Vault
containing the original "best evidence"
record. The paper record is really just a convenience copy.
If you think your Mortgage Loan is a record just go to a big bank and
ask for a look at the paper work?
You will be in for a shock as these are all moving to digital files.
The things I seeing moving to digital or e-records are amazing.
ARMA's Electronic Records Storage
Guideline is going to be a big help to everyone when Carol and Jerry
move it through the process.
Writing guidelines on electronic records storage today reminds me of
when I was changing the light
bulb on a turn signal. I put in the bulb and then asked my son to
watch the light to tell me if it was working.
I turned on the left turn signal and said "Is it working?"
My 4 year old said:
"Its working"
"No it stopped."
"Its working"
"No it stopped working again."
So we are with reacting to electronic records. "They're records.
No, they're not."
"Wait they're not on tape, they are on servers. They are not
records" "Oh wait they
are now on disk to disk. They're not records anymore."
Papyrus,Paper, microfilm,
computer tapes, servers displaying on a monitor, they are all
recordsa and the
records manager should be in charge.
And for those who don't think so, I know a guy who for an additional
$3,000 per month
will do what some may think doesn't need to be done. Slap a barcode
label on it, put
it on the list, assign it a 30 day retention period and away we go.
Remember when all is said and done, some guy as dumb as me will be
sitting on a jury
and you will very properly try to explain process records versus real
records. And he or I
will look at you and say in our mind "I think she is crazy."
Women Juror (In her mind.): "If a post it note, a white knuckle note
in a margin, an email and a video tape from the
surveillance system is a record why is she telling me a computer
record isn't a record. I don't trust
this records manager she is trying to confuse me. I think this
company is guilty. ...And when the heck
do we get a bathroom break."
Male Juror ( In his mind.): ""If a post it note, a white knuckle note
in a margin, an email and a video tape from the
surveillance system is a record why is she telling me a computer
record isn't a record. I don't trust
this records manager she is trying to confuse me." "I wonder if
she let her hair down and lost those glasses
if she would be hot?" ".......and why don't they let us snack in
here? Boy could I go for a bar b que sandwich.
Note to self, sneak in M&M's this afternoon." "Oh wait, now they are
talking about a retention schedule.
What the heck is that?"
And that my friends is a transcript from the next trial involving
computer records.
If CSI and NCIS have taught us anything, everything is a record. Now
lets starting adding things to our schedule.
Pass me the bar code label and scanner ..................
***********
Court of Hugh's Mind has been brought to you today by M&M Fine
Candies and Bert's Texas Bar B Que.
Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
[log in to unmask]
(610) 756-4440 Fax (610) 756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM
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