Electronic document management crucial for disaster recovery

More organizations are switching to electronic record-keeping to better prepare for disaster and preserve critical information. By utilizing conversion services, these firms can ensure that documents and data are safe from being lost, damaged or compromised.

Times of Malta reported that as catastrophes, such as Hurricane Katrina and the Sumatran Tsunami, have increased in scale over the last decade, organizations have looked to new solutions for disaster recovery and business continuity. And while natural disasters of this magnitude may not be prevalent in every enterprise, other issues such as server failures, power surges, floods and  fires pose a threat to information that is managed with traditional paper-based methods. The source asserted that electronic document management (EDM) can safeguard a business' most valuable asset: it's information.

According to the news source, the key to preparedness and continuity is preserving data so interruptions to business processes are minimized. EDM that is hosted online or off-site is an especially cost-effective solution because it requires no hardware or maintenance. Additionally, many providers offer support to ensure optimal recovery, such as failover testings. Automated backups relieve IT burdens while making sure information is accessible to users from anywhere an internet connection is available. Additionally, security controls can keep data safe by only allowing authorized users to retrieve sensitive information.

Keeping history safe
An Island Gazette report revealed that the New Hanover County Public Library will be taking advantage of new digital technologies to preserve historic records. The source reported that the library recently received a $32,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)  to collect and digitize images of Cape Fearians. The project is aimed at securing images of residents from the Lower Cape Fear region throughout history and making these records available online for research. The Local History Librarian, Jennifer Daugherty, told the Island Gazette that images of longtime residents, veterans, business owners, sports teams and other groups will be made available on an easy-to-access digital collection that will enrich the diverse cultural image of southeastern North Carolina. Scanning days have already been scheduled for these photos to be added to the collection, and originals will be returned to owners along with an electronic copy for preservation.

By deploying EDM solutions for backup and recovery, organizations are able to protect records from a range of threats. Digitization will be an increasingly important measure as associations look to secure valuable information, which is at high risk for loss or damage when only maintained in a paper format.

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