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On 09/01/2010, at 4:07 AM, ChadB@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
We are looking into media fire safes for the storage of backup media
and
software media... I have done a good bit of reading into ratings,
testing,
and specs, but am looking for some in the trenches opinions on what
rating
is reasonably needed (in terms of 1 hour, 2 hour, or 3 hour
protection).
Has anyone out there purchased such a safe, and how did you decide
what is
a reasonable level of protection for the cost...?
Just some thoughts for you:
No such thing as fire proof. The best you can hope for is fire
retardant. How much "retardation" you get is a function of the size of
your wallet. The majority of fire safes are intended for storing
paper. The fire may not get "in" the safe but the heat will
eventually. Paper can tolerate quite a bit of heat and still be OK--
maybe singed but still usable--at least usable enough for the
information to be transferred. Sufficient heat and fire will ensure--
at least until the air in the safe is consumed.
Back-up tape and other software media are generally less tolerant of
heat so while other things in the safe may survive (and of course the
safe itself) tape media may be unusable. You'll need to check with the
manufacturer specifically regarding the safety of your backup medium.
You'll want some evidence too of successful use of that medium after a
fire.
Be aware too that fires vary greatly in intensity so the location of
the safe relative to available combustible material, the type of
combustible material, the weather conditions at the time of the fire,
etc. will have a big impact on the likely-hood of of the safe and its
contents surviving.
Best option is off-site storage for backup media. Engage the services
of a professional outfit who will call to collect the backup media
shortly after the backup has completed. Get the tapes etc. offsite as
soon as possible. Don't rely on a fire-retardant safe to recover your
computerised data--unless you print it all and plan to re-key as part
of your disaster recovery.
Regards,
Simon Coulter.
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