> On Dec 15, 2009, at 12:00 AM, RECMGMT-L automatic digest system wrote:
>
>> From: Carol Choksy <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: December 14, 2009 7:57:56 AM EST
>> Subject: Re: Data Center in a Box as a component of RM
>>
>>
>> This is a really important topic. Many of us are unaware that this
>> is even
>> happening. Thank you, Hugh, for alerting us to this issue. ARMA is
>> writing a
>> guideline on Records in the Cloud, and this is an important piece
>> of the
>> puzzle!
If Records Manager's take a few moments to analyze the overall import
of this concept of Data Center in a Box, you will find a harsh
reality. The IT Community has finally demoted records to a non-
existent status.
With the advent of Virtual Tape, Virtual Servers and Virtual Data
Centers, things became ambiguous. Then the Cloud made it even more
so. Their world is the computer hardware, what it processes is zero
and ones and who cares about one over another. IT has never had any
designation for vital records versus short term records or any other
classification. They have no designation for Human Resource records
versus Legal Records or Accounting Records. They are just bit of data
and where it is stored is no more important for one set of zeros and
ones than for any other.
But in the past, the Data Center was protected within a safe building
and the equipment was located in the most secure inner hub similar to
the way the Pentagon protects its most secure information assets. But
the Data Center in a Box approach is a departure from that. It
basically follows the tenant that if valuable data can just float
around in the etherspace then creating the cheapest possible
environment for this data center is not out of line.
A consultant asked me yesterday, if a crane can set this container in
the back alley, why can't some competitor or a saboteur or just a
thief seeing a truck load of servers valued at over a million dollars
come along with a crane and lift it on a truck and drive away?
The consultant saw a weakness the computer industry does not even
acknowledge. The computer industry at first did not even see a threat
from opening the end doors and allowing snow, sleet and dust blow into
the data center. All that matters is selling equipment and all other
considerations pale by comparison.
Our economy is tethered to the internet and email now; and this is a
fragile environment. This failure to see the records existing in these
environments allows the IT Industry to ignore important issues.
FIRELOCK has always vaulted things: Vital Records, Historical
Records, Rare Artifacts, Priceless collections and archives and in the
last 20 years; Server Rooms and small data centers. So vaulting the
data center in its smallest container (SAVE) makes sense to us but not
without security as the first and last consideration.
But as I have said many times here, when the records manager gave up
the Vital Records Vault as part of their sphere of control, some of
the foundation blocks for a strong records management program went
away. IT just followed the lead.
ARMA national trade show in past years had Schwab Safe, Sentry, Mosler
Safe and FIRELOCK exhibiting fireproof file cabinets, vital records
vaults, data safes and data vaults but the lack of interest from
records managers in protecting their records resulted in these vendors
crossing ARMA off their show lists for lack of interest. Risk Managers
and Chief Security Officers have moved into this realm. When RM's quit
caring, it signaled the IT community that Virtual Clouds in a Tin Can
were appropriate technology for their data.
I have watched the blogs and only Larry Medina speaks out against
these dangerous trends right in the lair of the IT Lions. And the IT
wizards have no response to his truths. But one voice alone from the
records management community will not stem this tide to desensitize
executive management about the risks to their electronic records
platform.
If you look out the window and see a shipping container being unloaded
in your parking space with IT dancing around it like a new Christmas
bike, it is too late. Search Google for "Data Center in a Box" and
put http://www.servervaulting.com/save.asp in your browser and you
can see two sides of the debate. One side of the debate says security
is not an issue here and the other says security and fire protection
are the primary issue. RM have not weighed in yet or as Carol noted,
you may note have been invited to this debate as yet. Well come on
in............. Its going to get loud! Microsoft, Google, SUN,
Rackable, IBM and HP have already staked a claim in this world. They
are easy to spot, like the King in the Invisible Clothes walking on
parade, and only stupid peasants see a problem in placing the
corporate information assets in ever more insecure environments. Who
would want to hurt American Business Interests. Hmmm??
Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
[log in to unmask]
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM
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