[BCMA] Backup storage and security

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

I agree with Dan and Colin...   Having been with a facility that
suffered an almost complete loss in a devastating fire in the 1970's, I
can corroborate Colin's "antique store" warning.  
 
Interestingly, our Auditor raised this as a management issue last year;
requesting that we develop a Board IT Policy.  We have had our
collections databases housed offsite for many years.  This organization
does daily backups as well as troubleshoots and does updates.  There is
a fee for this service annually but in my view it's well worth the
price.
 
Tracy Calogheros
 

________________________________

From: bcma-bounces at lists.vvv.com [mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vvv.com] On
Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 10:45 AM
To: bcma at lists.vvv.com
Cc: Dan Gallacher
Subject: Re: [BCMA] Backup storage and security


Excellent collections management advice from Colin Stevens - clear,
correct, and concise!
 
Dan Gallacher

	----- Original Message ----- 
	From: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
<mailto:bcma at lists.vvv.com>  
	To: bcma at lists.vvv.com 
	Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2010 10:49 AM
	Subject: Re: [BCMA] Backup storage and security


	A commonly recommended practice is to have three sets of
back-ups.  A, B & C. Keep one off-site. Rotate so that the off-site
version is not too out of date. 

	 

	I have had two computer crashes in museums where I was Curator
with loss of all data and the use of back-ups was a life-saver. We lost
two weeks' worth of recent entries because the failure was gradual and
corrupted entries, so we used an earlier saved version for recreating
the database and the labour required to re-enter the last two weeks of
data. 

	 

	If the database is text only, then memory sticks can suffice.
That is what I use for the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Museum and
Archives database. 

	 

	For lots of photos etc. then you probably need a larger capacity
portable hard drive. Thankfully the price is very reasonable now. 

	 

	The New Westminster Museum and Archives is a city facility and
our back-ups are done by the City. Having said that, if you have such a
system, VERIFY that they are backing uop your data! At one city museum
where we supposedly had this arrangement, I found they did not back up
our database as it was in an odd file location! 

	 

	Be aware that portable hard drives can also fail, so one is not
enough. 

	 

	This is one kind of insurance that is ESSENTIAL for a museum and
archives and is not a luxury. Don't skip this because you can't afford
it. You can't afford not to! 

	 

	Imagine if you had a fire in your museum (yes it happens) and
some of the collection survived but all of the records were destroyed.
Without the provenance, you would be no better off than an antique
store. 

	 

	Colin MacGregor Stevens,

	Manager,

	New Westminster Museum and Archives,

	302 Royal Avenue,

	New Westminster, BC,

	V3L 1H7, Canada

	 

	Phone Office:    604-527-4639

	Work Cellular :  604-830-6965

	Fax:                    604-527-4641

	E-mail: cstevens at newwestcity.ca <mailto:cstevens at newwestcity.ca>


	Web Site: www.newwestminster.ca <http://www.newwestminster.ca>  

	Normal work week: Sun-Thurs 9-5, OFF Fri-Sat.

	 

	The New Westminster Museum and Archives (NWMA) consists of:

	   * City's Museum (est. 1950)

	   * City's Archives

	   * Irving House (built 1865)

	   * Maintenance of the Samson V Maritime Museum (paddlewheel
ship built 1937; museum since 1984) 

	 

	From: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
[mailto:bcma at lists.vvv.com] 
	Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 11:46 AM
	To: bcma at lists.vvv.com
	Subject: [BCMA] backup storage and security

	 

	I'm looking for advice on the best way to deal with backup
storage and security. We are using external hard drives to do daily
backups. One perspective is to then store this hard drive in a
fire-proof safe on-site. Another perspective is to switch this hard
drive out weekly and store off-site. What are others doing? Any advice?

	 

	Kimiko Hawkes
	Manager/Curator
	Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives
	716 Winn Road, Box 766
	Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0
	P/F 604.886.8232
	www.sunshinecoastmuseum.ca

	
________________________________


	

	_______________________________________________
	BCMA mailing list
	BCMA at lists.vvv.com
	http://lists.vvv.com/mailman/listinfo/bcma
	

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.vvv.com/pipermail/bcma/attachments/20101209/a556381d/attachment-0001.htm