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W O R K S H O P

The Rules of Electronic Record-Keeping

November 1, 2002
By Sean Doherty

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Media Alert

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	In this article
	Introduction
	Media Alert
	Wait - Don't Trash That Record

You also need a solid media storage strategy to improve accessibility to data and ensure the data's longevity. Frequently used data, including e-mail and corporate directories, for instance, is typically maintained on magnetic disks that are available to users at all times. Data that's accessed less frequently, including old payroll information, however, is migrated to more cost-effective, near-line storage technologies, such as optical jukeboxes or tape libraries.

Backups maintain a permanent or redundant record in case of lost data or disaster--you probably run daily, weekly and monthly backups of data to tape, in full or in increments. You may also maintain and archive your monthly backups both on- and off-site for years, depending on your organization's backup policy. Once near-line data is no longer accessed and becomes obsolete, it's typically sent to offline status and available only from an archived tape backup or in analog format.

In the short run, it makes economic sense to migrate data from online to near-line and then to offline storage--this frees hard-disk space for the data that demands regular and immediate access. In the long run, however, it can hide some of your true storage costs.

Today's magnetic disks have a life expectancy of about three years. That's a good benchmark for planning and budgeting data migration from older disks to newer ones. Tape formats have a life span of about five to seven years if they are stored properly. But if you recycle the old tapes, beware that these tapes may contain records that by law must be retained after this seven-year period if no permanent record exists in analog form.

In that case, you have to copy the data onto new tapes--a costly process. For example, 4-mm tapes that hold 12 GB to 40 GB of data cost $10 to $20 per cartridge. Newer tapes holding 100 GB to 200 GB cost more than $100 per cartridge. You can preserve the old storage hardware and software to access the media even if you upgrade your tape technology, but it's not easy. Once maintenance and support contracts for old equipment expire, you can't renew them. Besides, vendors would rather sell you new equipment than maintain their old stuff.

Another option is to migrate data from older tape formats to newer ones, or copy it to optical discs. Storage media vendors claim that 5.25-inch or 12-inch optical disc media will last 100 years if stored properly. But this media will evolve, too, requiring hardware and software upgrades someday.

In addition, when optical media starts to wear out with use over time or because of poor storage conditions, you'll have to copy the data onto new media. You may also need to refresh it using current computer systems and applications. Some of the applications you used to access media five to 10 years ago--say, VisiCalc and WordStar, for instance--are history now. Although digital formats aren't expected to last as long as analog, they provide multiple, simultaneous access and a means to search by keyword. They also let users manipulate the data for viewing or printing. Paper and microfilm, meanwhile, are projected to last centuries, depending on their composite materials, how they are stored and how frequently they are accessed.

ERP Rollout Time

Pros and Cons of Typical Data Record Formats

Save this, Trash That

So, bottom line, how do you reduce the cost of electronic data retention? Rather than keep everything "forever," keep only the data that's required for operational, historical or legal reasons. This means breaking down data into manageable document and record components to determine its value and retention period, and instituting an internal records-retention policy. You may need to keep purchase orders for only seven years, for instance. This approach won't extend the life of your digital media, but it can reduce costs and improve the speed and efficiency of accessing information from your data stores. It also can minimize the risks associated with potential litigation.

Everyday decisions on the hardware, e-mail system, document-management application and backup software you purchase, meanwhile, can affect your organization's legal interests. You may find document-management systems, such as Documentum's Documentum 5 and SGP International's Dox, useful. These tools help manage document life cycles, from creation to deletion or permanent retention, including the proper time frames for keeping documents so you can comply with the legal and regulatory limits for retention periods.

Sean Doherty is a technology editor and lawyer based at our Syracuse University Real-World Labs®. Write to him at sdoherty@nwc.com.