General Statement
NetStandard places a high priority on securing our customers’ data. This policy documents the controls and procedures that NetStandard implements related to backups and backup tape management in order to offer its customers the best service available.
Personnel
Backup tape management is done by the NetStandard Network Operations Center (NOC) personnel. All NOC personnel are approved to access customers’ backup tapes, server racks and network infrastructure.
Prior to employment with NetStandard a background check is generated on all NetStandard employees who have access to backup tapes, digital data on servers and network resources. Employees with prior felony convictions will not be eligible to work for NetStandard’s Data Center or NOC.
Physical Security
NetStandard maintains a secure data center with multiple control points for authentication. (For details see – NetStandard Data Center Security Standards – October 15, 2006).
Data center access is restricted to preauthorized customers and employees. To gain access to the data center a preauthorized customer must present a proximity/identification card as well as a biometric reading such as a thumbprint. As another level of security, only NetStandard personnel will have the ability to open the data center racks. Visitors may accompany authorized customer representatives into the data centers but they must be manually logged into the visitor log with their identification verified.
NetStandard will have a Network Operations Center (NOC) employee on-site at all times. NOC personnel will monitor the security of the facility through physical inspections and by periodic monitoring of security cameras.
NetStandard’s video surveillance system includes multiple secure cameras in each data center and at each entrance. The cameras are periodically monitored from the secure NOC and historical records are maintained for 90 days.
Off-Site facility
Backup tapes are maintained in a secure fireproof tape safe in Data Center #1 until they are scheduled for transport to the off-site storage facility at 10300 W 103rd Street, Overland Park, KS, 66214. When the tapes are transported to and back from the off-site facility they are locked in a mobile tape safe. The off-site facility is a sister company of NetStandard. This building is staffed during normal business hours. After hours the building is locked and has a monitored security system and the tapes are stored in fireproof safes.
Process
It is NetStandard’s general practice to have the customer submit a signed document that describes the customer’s backup requirements. Each company determines and is responsible for their backup needs and directs the specific tape rotation processes in regards to;
- Number of generations to be backed up.
- Specific data, applications and devices to be backed up.
- Data collection process such as full backups, incremental, etc…
- Backup retention requirements such as storing weekly, monthly, quarterly backups for an extended period of time.
- Encryption requirements are determined and implemented by the customer.
- Backup tape rotation process in regards to such things as daily, weekly, monthly…
- Determining the off-site storage requirements. This could include such things as requiring that a certain number of days of tapes or a certain generation (example; last three quarters) should be stored off-site. Additional charges may apply if more then 1 rotation/tape is required to be kept off-site.
- All backup tapes will be the property of the customer and they will be returned upon request. The customer (not NetStandard) will be responsible for destroying and disposing of unneeded tapes.
- Tape labeling requirements will be specified and implemented by the customer. For example, if “confidential” is required to be on each tape it is the customer’s responsibility to label the tapes.
Logs
If required by the customer, NetStandard will maintain a log of backup tape activity including such things as new tape insertion, tape extraction, tape installs for the purpose of a data restoration. These logs may include the time, date, employee, purpose and customer name if applicable. Logs will be maintained 90 days (more if required by the customer).
Changes
Authority to make changes in the backup process is restricted to the list of authorized customer employees. Changes could include processes and procedures as well as request to insert backup tapes for data restoration. All change requests will be in writing or via email from an authorized person.
The general storage, rotation and transportation of tapes is included in the periodic tape rotation fees. Any exceptions (special tape rotations, special request for pickup of tapes from off-site storage…) will be billable at the normal NetStandard rates.
Controls
Quarterly the NetStandard Data Services Manager is responsible for completing an audit of the backup process. This audit will include;
- A physical inventory of tapes (both on-site and off-site) against the logs
- A review of security systems (cameras, proximity readers, biometric readers)
- A review of facilities and tape storage equipment (safes, cabinets…)
- A confirmation of processes and authorization with the required customers.
NetStandard Tape Transportation Policy – 10/13/08
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to outline the procedure for securely moving tapes to our offsite location.
Time
Tape rotations happen Monday through Friday between 10:30 AM and 4:00 PM.
Process: NetStandard provides a locked, portable safe at NSI. This safe is securely transported to an offsite location (10300 W 103rd St, Overland Park, KS 66214) where a fixed, locked safe resides. Each customer’s tape that was rotated that day will be placed into the portable safe and the safe will be secured (locked) while in transit. While at the remote site NSI staff will place the transported tape into the fixed safe. The previous tape that was rotated (daily, weekly, monthly…) will be placed into the portable safe and returned to NSI. While at NSI the portable safe is emptied and all tapes reside in the locked tape cabinet where each customer has a labeled and secured drawer. Therefore, unless otherwise contracted, all tapes will be stored at NSI except for the most recent rotation.
Personnel
NOC 1 engineers are responsible for transporting the tape rotations. To gain employment as NOC1, employees must achieve a status of trust within the organization and pass a thorough background check.
Exceptions
NSI does not transport tapes on specific holidays as recognized by NSI’s corporate handbook. To prepare for holidays extra tapes will be brought onsite to NSI prior to the holiday, after the holiday extra tapes will be taken off site as necessary. If a NOC1 is unavailable to do the offsite transportation a NOC2, NOC3, or the NOC Manager will perform the task.
This document was created July 16, 2007 by Branham Singleton.
This document was last modified October 13, 2008 by Dave McCabe. |
