Compare Fireproof Data Storage Safes

Choosing the Best Safe for your Unique Business Needs
Part 1 of 3 in a Series for Comparing the Pros and Cons of Data Backup and Storage Products

There are many types, sizes and brands of data storage safes on the market today including industry leaders Schwab Corp, FireKing and ioSafe. While each of these safe manufacturers products have their own unique selling points, this series will compare, contrast and review each product as it relates to a a specific business problem or challenge and how each fireproof safe offers a solution.

Computer Media Storage Challenges
The proper storage of removable computer media tapes (DLT, LTO, etc) needs to be taken into consideration to prevent data loss, mitigate data security risks and improve both business operational objectives and meet storage goals.

Challenge Number #1
Improve Backup Media Security - this is accomplished by ensuring your safe is locked, has limited access control. Ensure that your safe has a lock that meets any federal or industry specifications. This can include HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) PCI storage requirements, etc. Data centers or locked door rooms are also optimal for achieving these goals.

Challenge Number # 2
Choosing the Right Fire Rating - the best fire rating for your unique business needs relates to you physical location and proximity to a local fire department. A one hour safe is typically the best choice for most businesses operating in a city / urban environment. Rural or remote office locations should strongly consider a fire safe with a 2 hour rating or the best 3 hour rating.

Challeng Number # 3
Improve Data Backup Strategy - if you have already implemented a tape backup strategy you should consider supplementing or replacing your tape drive system with a disk based solution. This will allow your to automate the data backup process as well as reduce yearly operating expenses by reducing the number of tape rotations. This can mean a drastic reduction in labor costs. It is suggested that if you supplement your tape media with hard drives that you still use a tape for weekly or monthly archiving of mission critical data.

A thorough review of ioSafe hardware to Dell, IBM, HP and other backup disk drives and servers will help you understand how combining fire protection, physical security and disk based backup into a single system or purchase offers better ROI in the short, medium and long term.

In the second part of this series will look more closely at each general data backup and storage challenge and provide complete lists of vendors, appliances, safes and solutions to both technology issues and solving business problems.