How about:

Using system backup tapes to find a single document is like... taking a sandwich to a buffet.

Tommy
> 
> From: Larry Medina <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 2006/11/17 Fri AM 09:31:02 EST
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Analogy Contest
> 
> Using system backup tapes to find a single document is like ... Real Dumb,
> Dude... because that's NOT what backup tapes are for!   What BOGUS
> exercise!!
> 
> =)
> 
> But seriously folks =|
> 
> Your IT policy should state why (and how) backup tapes are generated and
> that the purpose of them is to reinitialize systems and data in the event of
> a crash, accidental loss or data, or a catastrophic failure ONLY.  They
> aren't to be used to search for content, because nothing should exist on
> them that doesn't exist on the primary system, hence the name BACKUP.
> They're part of a business continuity and disaster recovery program.
> 
> Part of why I see this question and similar comments about this "exercise"
> in a lot of trade journals and magazine articles is they come from the IT
> perspective of not understanding the differences between the RM definition
> of BACKUP and ARCHIVE... and in general, not understanding records
> management practices.
> 
> This would be an ALMOST legitimate question if (from the IT perspective) it
> was asking:
> 
>  "Trying to find a single file in an ARCHIVE volume is like..."  because
> Archive volumes DO hold data that is at time different than the active
> system.
> 
> Larry
> 
> -- 
> Larry Medina
> Danville, CA
> RIM Professional since 1972
> 
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