Out of all of the questions I hear from our customers, there is one very important factor that is in most cases overlooked or disregarded as boring and unimportant, and that is Off Site Physical Media and Tape Storage. By this I refer to where and how your physical backup and archive tapes are stored.
Firstly, do you currently store your backup and archive data off site? - If the answer is no, then stop reading this article immediately, grab your tapes, and get them to an off site data storage provider NOW.
If the answer is yes, and your tapes are already off site then congratulations, you have taken the first step in ensuring the long term preservation of your backup and archive data. You may pass GO and collect $200. However, before you breathe that comforting and smug sigh of relief, read the following important questions and considerations for selecting a physical tape storage supplier:
1. Have you personally seen and inspected the off site storage facility?
As obvious as this may sound, personal inspection of the premises is often the first thing that is overlooked. In short, DO NOT ASSUME that the provider is doing the right thing. I have personally visited three local storage providers' facilities and they are definitely not all the same.
2. Are you confident that your data is being looked after correctly?
A key factor in choosing a physical tape storage supplier is to find a company that you can not only trust, but who can actually meet your particular data storage requirements. All storage companies are not the same, and most organisations have different tape storage needs. Are they professional? Does the company have a good track record? Have you spoken to other customers and been given references?
3. Does the storage company maintain the correct storage environment with regard to temperature, humidity and air filtration? Is it a proper media and data vault?
Are the storage facilities climatically controlled and regulated? Magnetic and optical media are highly sensitive and susceptible to damage. The higher the density the more vulnerable they may be due to increased linear and track density, substrate thickness and the positioning of data and tracks closer to edges. Long term data storage conditions should be temperature controlled at 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 90°F) with a relative humidity of between 30 & 40% (as specified by Imation Tape Care Guidelines). Is there a filtration system installed to eliminate contamination by dust particles, corrosive gases or chemicals? Is there the possibility of the data being subject to magnetic fields, radiation or static charge build up? Is the data subject to excessive ultra violet light - ideally the facility should not have any windows which allow direct light in? Another point to note is that tapes should be stored on metal shelves, not wooden shelves.
4. What security prevention and detection measures are in place at the facility?
There are several issues here you should ask. What type of security system is in place and is it used for both prevention and detection? Does the facility have 24/7 onsite security personnel or is it externally monitored? How is access to vaults monitored? Do all staff have access or just specified personnel? Is this via key/card/PIN access?
Finally, for areas subject to earthquake activity, make sure you ask about the building itself. Is it structurally sound and stable? What is its earthquake rating? A multi-story facility could be up to ten times more likely to collapse or sustain serious damage.
5. What fire protection systems are in place - for example smoke detectors, heat sensors and sprinkler systems?
Ascertaining whether adequate fire protection systems are in place is definitely worthy of investigation and scrutiny. I once visited a facility that had installed a "wet" type sprinkler system INSIDE the tape vault. Great if you think that your data may require a bath, but not so great if you need to actually access this data in the future!! I have also seen a "tape vault" which was actually just a converted office with a fire extinguisher as the fire protection system. Make sure you know what you are paying for. Are there smoke detectors installed? Do they have a VESDA (Very Early Smoke Detection Alarm) in place? Are "dry" type sprinkler systems used where required? What is the fire evacuation plan? Is the vault fireproof if the fire originated outside? Are the tapes stored alongside paper records and archives?
6. Is the storage company quality endorsed?
Do they have a QA Policy? A simple yes answer will not suffice - make sure you ask to see it. If they are ISO9000 endorsed, is it by a registered accreditation body? Does their QA Policy reflect your own organisation's QA policy and requirements sufficiently? Do they conduct audits regularly?
7. Do they have sufficient insurance?
What insurance do they have in place? Are they covered by Valuable Records Re-creation insurance? If so, what level would you be covered for and in the event of a disaster, what would be required in order to make this claim?
Also, storing your physical tape offsite is part of your organisation's business continuity plan, but what is the storage providers business continuity plan? Do they have one? Always an interesting question to ask.
8. How easily and quickly can you access your data?
This will depend on your actual requirements and the service you are purchasing - whether it is just long term ad hoc archival storage or continuous back up and rotation data storage services. Make sure you clarify charges up front for urgent retrievals, weekend and public holiday retrievals, additional delivery sites, outside metro areas etc. These are all things that can suddenly blow out budgets if not agreed and made transparent from the beginning. What rotation cycles are required? How is your data inventoried and accounted for? Is it bar-coded, labelled or simply left in the delivery boxes? What kind of access/retrieval system or database do they use for logging of transactions and movement of your tapes?
9. How is the media transported?
Similar to environmental storage conditions, magnetic and optical media must be carefully shipped and transported to/from storage facilities. If your storage company is providing this pick up/drop off service, ask to see their for their media shipping policy. Make sure that your valuable data will not be subject to temperature extremes, open transport vehicles where the data would be subject to dust and moisture along the journey, or the impact of rough loading and in transit vibration.
Why it is important to store physical data off site at a scrutinised facility -
1. Business Continuity & Disaster Planning - Off site data storage is essential to ensure the survival of your company in the event of a disaster or crisis - be it from fire, earthquake, terrorism or an upset employee determined to wreak havoc. A prime example is following 9/11 where companies such as Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan & Chase, who were able to resume operations in alternative locations within days of the tragic events.
2. In-house storage facilities are generally inadequate - can be difficult to maintain the correct storage conditions, require substantial human and physical resources and are generally not cost effective.
3. Off Site Storage at an employees home, in a car boot or briefcase is insufficient and quite honestly, laughable. Putting aside that individuals can be unreliable, the storage conditions are not appropriate and there would be no accountability, auditing or tracking of the data, your data could be subject to a multitude of other uncontrollable circumstances such as fires, floods, stolen briefcases, car accidents etc.
4. Corporate Governance Issues - With the emergence of legislation such as Sarbanes-Oxley in the USA and CLERP9 in Australia, senior executives could become increasingly exposed to litigation if sufficient data protection and retention requirements are not met.
In summary, the safe and secure long term storage of archival data and current backup data involves a lot more than just getting the data off your premises and into a storage facility or your car boot. You need to personally visit and critique the supplier and ensure that your data is going to be looked after correctly. After all, you wouldn't leave your children at a Day Care Centre or Nursery without examining the premises and meeting the caregivers first, so why would you place your organisation's "offspring" into a third party environment without thoroughly researching it first.
If your organisation has vast volumes of data to store, you are looking at a long term relationship so will want to ensure that you are 100% satisfied and confident with the physical data storage supplier you choose. Moving large volumes of data from one supplier to another can be an expensive and costly exercise - one which very often can be avoided if you do your homework and choose your supplier carefully in the first place.
Guy Holmes is the Chief Executive Officer of SpectrumData, an organisation specialising in the storage, recovery, migration and management of legacy, archive and backup data. To subscribe to their monthly newletter see http://www.spectrumdata.com.au/content.aspx?cid=119&m=2 In his free time he enjoys playing ice hockey and spending time with his three children.
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