On 21 July 1969, Neil Armstrong took man's first steps on the moon. Just 37 years later, Nasa would seem to have lost the original footage that documented mankind's first moonwalk.
Most companies are also exposed to such a risk when their vital documentation is not well protected. To prevent such disasters, it's essential that companies store their information in a safe and secure off-site facility.
According to the Electronics Communications and Transactions Act of 2002 and the risk mitigation requirements of the King II report on corporate governance, companies must ensure they adequately protect themselves in terms of preserving and storing electronic documents and communications.
Efficient off-site storage facilities aid companies in complying with these requirements but these have their own attendant risks.
Choosing the wrong storage location can be disastrous. Companies that do may have to move their documents at a later date and they stand the risk of losing documents, which could later prove costly. Moving the documents will also take time, during which the documents may not be accessible.
Auditors must now evaluate vendor compliance. If they do not approve of the vendor, then companies must find a new one. That can also be expensive. It is worth working with auditors to acquire a partner with the right methodologies, systems, processes, services, track record and infrastructure in place.
When choosing an off-site vendor, companies must evaluate fire safety, atmospheric conditions, pest control, security and technical services. The facility must be located away from high-risk areas such as rivers, geological faults, coasts, volcanoes and man-made structures which might pose a threat.
Information is one of a company's most valuable assets and needs to be protected as such.
Paul Mullon, Metrofile's information governance executive
The facility must also be located away from the company, so that a disaster would not impact both locations simultaneously. It is important for the vendor to have more than one facility so that in the case of an emergency, they will be able to move customer records to another secure site.
Records should be delivered to the off-site storage facility in the same condition they left the company. This means the transport used must be able to protect the records in transit. The vehicle should be equipped with satellite tracking and two people must travel in the vehicle so that the cargo is never left unattended.
Security at the site is imperative. It must be tight and access to the media should be restricted and monitored at all times to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
The storage method is also important, especially for storage of electronic data. Vendors should store the digital media in vaults with reinforced walls, ceilings and floors. This will protect the records from damage in the event of fire, earthquake, flood and other threats.
The facility should be accessible to the company during normal and emergency conditions with adequate access roads and an alternative route if necessary. A locator system that stores records in a systematic manner will also enable companies to find their records quickly and easily.
Information is one of a company's most valuable assets and needs to be protected as such. When choosing an off-site storage solution, the vendor must offer extra security and the best protection.
That's one small step for records management, one huge leap for corporate peace of mind.
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