RE: Long term storage of iSeries

I was told (no way to confirm) that there were regulatory requirements;
i.e., potential, ad hoc audits for up to seven years. My former employer
was, primarily, a tobacco products wholesaler. I haven't seen that many
regulations since I worked on a nuclear plant site. At least the nuke site
only had to answer to the Feds; tobacco wholesalers have to, potentially,
answer to every single state (and localities in at least three states). And
every entity wants something different; I know I used to have to run the
reports while the state auditor sat in my office strumming the armchair with
his knuckles.

There is no guarantee that any agency will ever pull an audit. Nor is there
a guarantee they won't. Some are, based upon my experience, peaceable (Hey,
whenever/as soon as you can) while others seem to like adversarial-mode
(I'll be there in five minutes to pick it up). There may not be time to
find hardware alternatives if all you have are tapes/CDs/whatever.

It may be paranoia, but even paranoids have enemies. Or maybe it's just the
line of least resistance.

Jerry C. Adams
IBM i Programmer/Analyst
Why can't the Jews and the Arabs just sit down together and settle this like
good Christians. - Arthur Balfour, British statesman
--
A&K Wholesale
Murfreesboro, TN
615-867-5070


-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 1:20 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Long term storage of iSeries

Why keep the old machine for a case like this?

Only a few reasons that I would ignore.

- If they just really want to use the software to query the data and not
utilities then the software key may be tied to serial number and whatnot.
- If the backup media is a 120GB 1/4" cartridge you may play heck finding
a newer machine to load that up on and use it. I recently disposed of
some 1/2" reels



Rob Berendt