Media Vaulting Tips From the Arctic Circle by Pete Lorenco

Nestled deep inside a mountain on a remote Norwegian island, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault secures more than 840,000 varieties of seeds. Thanks to its remote location, ideal climate and high-tech security, the $9 million facility, dedicated to protecting the world's agricultural heritage, has earned the nickname the doomsday vault.

Your records are at least as important as those seeds-and they deserve the same level of care. While your most important information may be on paper or tape, a look at the Global Seed Vault's operations offers insight into what services you should be seeking from a potential media storage vendor.

What You Can Learn From the Storage Vault

Lesson #1: Know your options. Whether it's ancient Aztec grains or African rice, the Svalbard vault only holds one type of item. Your business information, however, is probably spread across a variety of storage formats. An experienced information management partner should be able to safely store and manage all sorts of media, from paper and photos to tape and disks.

Lesson #2: Don't compromise on secure transportation. According to its executive director, the vault hasn't lost a single seed in transit. Of course, if a few tree seeds go missing en route, there are always more. Can you say the same about your precious data and documents? Look for a partner with technology that allows you to track the progress of your backup media every step of the way-a documented chain of custody.

Lesson #3: Focus on security. In addition to standard protections, the vault's island home also has polar bears to ward off intruders. Although your vendor probably doesn't use wild animals as sentries, its facilities ought to have round-the-clock security, motion sensors, state-of-the-art video monitoring and perimeter access control.

Lesson #4: Learn about the critical importance of climate control. Svalbard seeds are packed in four-ply foil envelopes to ward off moisture and kept at a frosty -18 degrees Celsius. A suitable partner should be able to offer the same attention to environmental conditions, albeit at a somewhat warmer level (a constant range between 64 and 71 degrees Fahrenheit).

Lesson #5: Ensure total access. Many of the countries storing seeds in the vault view their deposits as only a precaution and don't expect to make a withdrawal. You, on the other hand, need quick access to your media and a vendor that can provide online access to your records.

To keep your company's precious records and data safe, seek a vendor that can deliver the same comprehensive coverage for all of your media. You may not have to worry about an information management doomsday, but it's still good to know your records are protected no matter what the circumstances.

LINK:	http://blogs.ironmountain.com/2015/service-lines/small-business/media-...
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