Backup
Management
Summary:
Prevent backup from becoming a major privacy problem. How to safely organize,
store and destroy critical backup and copies of your information.
Purpose:
To help
prevent backups and copies of your most strategic files from going astray.
Advice:
We
find backups are not done on a scheduled basis or randomly with no cataloguing.
Quite often backup media is lying around or stored haphazardly.
Copies of important files can be sitting alone on diskettes, CD's and tapes.
These can contain originals of many of your most important files. It is
very important to treat them with the same amount of respect as your regular
data.
Backup media is a prime target for data thieves, since it is much
more mobile than your actual system. Without proper procedures, backups
can be made by anyone with access to your systems- including from a remote
site.
Method:
1.
A catalogue of media used for used for backup should be kept with maintained
with
a retention policy. Once the media is not longer is use, it needs
to be destroyed or properly erased. Do not
discard in the normal garbage with taking these precautions.
2. A procedure needs to be established for the personal responsible
in terms of frequency, secure storage locations and who has permission
to
make copies of data.
3. Regular checkups on extra media lying around in desks, briefcases
and file folders.
4. Purchases of media should be documented to their location and purpose.
5. Do not discard media without checking the contents.
6. A restriction policy on what media can be brought into and withdrawn
from the workplace.
7. Media is very transportable so arrange to keep a current copy off-site
(bank- safety deposit box, senior staffers that lives a distance from
office, etc.) The extra effort will help prevent and major loss. We
have been through a tornado with Client's. It is not a pretty picture.
Things beyond our control do happen
and the consequences can do serious harm to the business unit and people's
livelihoods.
See Back up-Why?
