On Apr 29, 2006, at 12:00 AM, RECMGMT-L automatic digest system wrote:

> On 4/28/06, Steve Morgan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> What about Underground Vaults & Storage? Does that mean we shouldn't
>> use them, also? I was working for a municipal government & that's 
>> where
>> we stored all of our backup.

As Larry states below their are specific paragraphs within NFPA 232 
that discuss
hazards of storing below grade. My special concern was storing computer 
media
in vaults as it is very fragile to heat, contamination, environmental 
concerns, etc.

When we have a client who insists on placing their vault in a below 
grade location we
try to mitigate some of this risk by addressing the concerns that this 
location brings to
the vaults location.

But many of you and IT people are willing to store below grade so I 
would like to know the rationale?  If some of you stored below grade 
and then moved to an
above grade location due to some input from risk management or IT, what 
were
their concerns?

> Steve-
>
> As noted by many on this List in the past, a lot of what RIM is all 
> about is
> related to risk, and how averse or tolerant an organization is willing 
> to
> be.
>
> You need to do an assessment of whatever third-party providers you 
> intend
> to use for ANY services and reach a level of comfort  that you can 
> live with.
> The discussion on web hosting services is a perfect example, same is 
> true
> with the story about the lost tapes.
>
> If you perform a first-hand evaluation of a supplier and ask enough
> questions and are satisfied with the responses, then you make a
> recommendation to contract for services witht them.  You may want to 
> attain
> the services of a neutral qualifier inspector, or have your risk 
> amanement
> or insurance provider give the facility a once over, but at some point 
> you
> decide what's "good enough".
>
> AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND, this is not to say that UVS is NOT a quality 
> service
> provider, nor is it an endorsement of them, but as Hugh said, the
> explanatory text in NFPA 232 recommends against it (3.1.1 refers to 
> records
> centers in general, 5.3 refers to vaults specifically):
>
>
> A.3.1.1
> ...The consulting services of a qualified fire protection engineer,
> acceptable to the records custodian, should be obtained to participate 
> in
> the development of the fire safety system, including the determination 
> of
> the requirements to be provided in the final project documentation.
> Multistory and/or below-grade facilities are extremely hazardous and 
> requir=
> e
> substantial research and redundant protection....
>
>  A.5.3
> Vaults below grade are undesirable because under certain conditions
> sufficient burning or smoldering debris can accumulate in a basement to
> produce a cooking effect of such duration that the effects of 
> combustion
> cannot be resisted by construction alone (within practical 
> limitations).
> Also, vaults located below grade could be damp, causing destruction of
> records by the formation of mold, and could be subject to flooding 
> under
> either flood or fire conditions, with consequent damage to records.
> Larry
> --
> Larry Medina
> Danville, CA
> RIM Professional since 1972

If certain power that are fanatically opposed to our lifestyle obtain 
nuclear,
then maybe we will be back looking for bomb proof storage but with 
media,
you need rapid access for restores, access to an airport to get the 
media to
a hot site.  But then again the shrinking computer environment and 
mirror
sites might make jetting tapes across country a thing of the past.  So 
technology
is changing, viruses and bots and spoliation are all affecting the 
decisions on
where to store media.

If this client chooses to go underground versus storing in a closer 
facility with the
same vault protection, what are the perceived risks?

For example they always talks about the massive facilities and talk 
about 5 mile, 15 miles and 40 miles of underground roadway and in some 
of the pictures they show 18 wheel trucks moving through the caves. 
Should diesel powered or gas powered vehicles be allowed into such 
facilities?  NFPA would say not.  Should offices be in the same area 
that is referred to as vault storage. NFPA 232 would say that offices, 
office equipment, lounges, should all be separated from the records 
storage area.

Do you as records managers use NFPA 232 as a guideline when touring a 
potential records center.  IT only does it if you educate them as they 
do not see their media as records ( or at least they didn't until SOX) 
but as just recovery media.  Maybe storing media below grade gets a 
pass? Remember that this was a discussion about where to store media.  
Larry will now properly chastise me that media is records or could be 
records.  After all email must must be preserved.

Because caves are huge, they often store boats,RV's, classic cars and 
all sorts of things. Maybe that is why I tend to less impressed with 
them.  But then again, records in the records center are flammable so 
what is the difference?

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

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