Computing and Information Services – Fred Miller, Chief Information Officer
Title: Records Management Policy
Applicable: Furman University (Students, Staff, Faculty)
Contacts: Computer Help Desk ext. 3277
Background: Furman University is required to maintain appropriate data backups to safeguard University information in the event of a physical disaster, or other unforeseen event, which may compromise data stored in Furman University’s information systems. In addition, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allows for the discovery of electronically stored information (ESI) if needed during the course of litigation. Because such discovery can include back-up data, as well as production data, Furman University must have a policy which outlines how all ESI will be maintained and stored.
Policy: In order to safeguard University information, and prevent potentially discovered evidence from being destroyed, Furman University will store and maintain electronic information (ESI) in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Guidelines:
1. C&IS will store and maintain backups for the follow categories of ESI. Each category of ESI will be maintained for the length of its specified retention period.
a. University Business Data
i. Servers which house our administrative systems and faculty and staff department shares are classified as University Business Data. Servers containing this data are backed up nightly. Copies of this data are stored on our network and on backup tapes, which are housed in a secure safe deposit box off campus. Both copies will be retained for a period of 365 days. After 365 days this data will be deleted and will not be retrievable.
b. University Systems
i. Servers which house websites, applications, and databases are classified as University Systems. Servers containing this data are backed up nightly. Copies of this data are stored on our network and on backup tapes, which are housed in a secure safe deposit box off campus. Both copies will be retained for a period of 31 days. After 31 days this data will be deleted and will not be retrievable.
c. University Email
i. Servers which house email will be classified as University Email. Servers containing this data are backed up to a server on the Furman network and are mirrored to an off-site device for disaster recovery purposes. In addition to these backups University Email also has weekly, nightly, and hourly snapshots created on a network appliance.
2. A detailed list of University servers and their categories can be found in the Computing and Information Services Backup & Archival Policies and Architecture document.
3. Unless subject to a preservation notice, records will be destroyed at the end of their retention period.
4. All special requests for additional or alternate backups must be approved by the Director of Systems and Technology.
5. Backup tapes are created for the purpose of disaster recovery only.
6. Backup tapes will be labeled and an inventory of all tapes and current information on those tapes will be kept by the Computing and Information Services backup system administrator.
7. All tapes will be re-entered into the rotation of usable tapes as soon as their previous retention policy has expired and all previous data has been removed from the tape.
8. In the event ESI is needed for litigation purposes all backup data stored on the Furman University Network or backup tapes containing pertinent information will be identified based on the backup administrator’s inventory. All relevant information stored on the network or backup tapes will be placed in an alternate location specified by the Director of Systems and Technology. Once the information is no longer needed a destruction certificate will be issued.