Evaluating an Off-site Storage Provider

The protection of vital records is an important component of any organisations business-continuity plan. Many organisations today see off-site storage as the best way to protect the longevity of their valuable data.

Deciding on an offsite storage provider involves the evaluation of important factors relating to the safety of your company’s vital information.  The following lists the factors that need to be examined carefully when choosing an offsite document storage provider:

 
Security

One of the most important aspects to consider when evaluating an off site storage provider is security.  More often than not the information which is going into storage contains private and sensitive information which you would prefer to remain that way.  The following are security procedures which you should insist on when choosing an offsite storage provider:

•    Access to the off-site storage facility should be controlled and fenced.
•    All visits to the facility should be prearranged, and a sign-in log used to record the date and time of all visits.
•    Visitors should wear an ID badge at all times when in the storage facility. Visitors should be accompanied throughout the visit.
•    Electronic card-access system.
•    Closed-circuit television.
•    Intrusion alarms.
•    Restricted-access areas
•    Security system connected to police, fire and security service.
•    Fire Suppression and Fire Protection system.
•    The storage facility should have bonded employees and completed background checks on each employee.

Location and Facility

The location of the off-site storage facility should include the following considerations:

•    The facility should be located at a sufficient distance such that a disaster would not affect both locations similarly.

•    The facility should have adequate access roads, with alternate routing if needed.

•    The facility should be accessible or can deliver requested information within a reasonable period of time such that the records can be obtained quickly.

Record Keeping

An efficient offsite records management company will include the following in their record keeping service offering::

•    A Records Management database that tracks the every movement of your information at all times.
•    All information should be stored in a systematic manner so that information can be recalled with ease – Eg. Barcode tracking.
•    Ability to access and manage your information on-line.
•    Reporting Functionality.

Environmental Controls

It is important to carefully inspect environmental controls that an offsite facility can offer, since the presence or absence of these controls will affect the quality of paper and media backups alike.

•    The facility should have several levels of fire detection and suppression equipment
•    The temperature and humidity should be carefully monitored.
•    The climate within a storage vault should be maintained at between  18 and 22 degrees Celsius to prevent damage to electronic media.
•    Humidity must be regulated as well, with levels varying between 40 percent and 50 percent to prevent harmful condensation.
•    The off-site storage facility should have a ventilation system that eliminates impurities such as dust particles from the air, where computer media is stored (The slightest amount of dust may cause read/write errors and damage drives.)

 
Storage Techniques

The storage technique is important so that records can be quickly located in an emergency. The vendor should have a locator system that stores the records in a systematic manner.

•    Paper should be stored in a different location than magnetic media because it requires special monitoring.
•    Different fire suppression systems should be used on magnetic media than on paper.
•    The containers in which information is stored in should be well constructed to prevent damage to contents if dropped, and provide added protection against dust and water.
•    Vaults should be located away from the loading and unloading area.

Reporting Capabilities

Commercial record centers should be able to provide a number of reports which can identify selected groups or series of records. Examples would be:

•    All records out of the center
•    Boxes due for review/destruction,
•    All boxes entering the system before or after a specific date

It is important that you determine in advance, the types of reporting capabilities which you organisation will require and ensure that you needs can be meet by your supplier.

Online Capabilities

Some commercial record centers offer on-line access to the client database. If you require immediate access and control over your records an online records management facility will solve your problems. 

Conclusion

The myth of the paperless office seems to have been rubbished as today's business community faces the problem of an ever increasing volume of documents and information which must be retained for longer periods. Conversion of documents to other forms (optical disk, microfilm, microfiche, etc.) may offer a partial solution.  However for many organisations, commercial record centers can offer a cost effective, long term solution to the ongoing problem of where to store and manage inactive and semi-active records.
 

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