Fire/Water-Proof External Backup Drives

[SecTrainer]

Those of you involved in data security and business continuity might find this company's products interesting. 80-GB and 160-GB water- and fireproof external drives. This link includes a product video:

http://blog.sentrysafe.com/2008/01/sentrysafe-fire-safe-waterproof-hard.html

They also have a "data storage chest" which can not only house a storage device (sold separately) which can be connected to a computer, IPOD, and other media via USB cable, and can house the CDs (disks, media etc.) themselves.

http://www.sentrysafe.com/products/productDetail.aspx?s=275

[Chucky]

The safe that you put your drive in with the USB cords coming out. What would prevent a computer savvy unscrupulous person from sneaking into his office with a laptop and sucking the info out of the drive via the USB wires?

[SecTrainer]

The safe that you put your drive in with the USB cords coming out. What would prevent a computer savvy unscrupulous person from sneaking into his office with a laptop and sucking the info out of the drive via the USB wires?

If they could do that, they could do the same thing with the computer itself (which has a USB port) anyway. Or maybe they could just carry off the whole device. Other security measures would be applied to solve those problems. Like any other assset, you protect data from different threats by applying different "layered security strategies", not by relying on any one method. So, you would be talking about using physical security, strong encryption, etc. with respect to the type of threat you mention.

These devices provide water- and fire-proof storage for data, solving THE primary threats to data. More data is lost to fire, flood, accidental sprinkler discharges, etc. each year than to all other causes combined.

[N. A. Corbier]

Indeed, its a safe to protect against natural threats, not artificial threats. Sorta like those fireproof safes. They don't protect against someone picking it up and walking off with it, but it'll protect important documents from the fire and the fire department.

Remember, if its fire-resistant to 1 billion degrees, but isn't water-proof, the fire department will inadvertently destroy it when they put the fire out.

[Chucky]

Somewhat in the same realm of water damage and misconceptions. My brother has owned a Fire Sprinkler co for over 30 years. As a part of this business mandated by law your suppression system needs to be checked and certified in some states twice a year. The biggest misconception is that when a certification is performed the majority of the average worker seem to think that the water needs to flow out of the heads. This myth is perpetuated by TV adds like the one were a company is on a raft during a team building day when they get word that the system was being tested and the computer server was ruined.

Another is that when 1 head goes off due to a fire that all the heads will go off again totally wrong. The media between the orifice and deflector on each head needs to attain a certain temperature for that head to go off. Mostly comedys will use this for a laugh. Frankly when a head activates the first thing that comes out is not clean clear water but old oily very smelly water. For situations where water will do more damage than fire as a computer main frame room a chemical device that will remove all the oxygen and triggered by infer red from a fire source.

[integrator97]

Another is that when 1 head goes off due to a fire that all the heads will go off again totally wrong. The media between the orifice and deflector on each head needs to attain a certain temperature for that head to go off. Mostly comedys will use this for a laugh. Frankly when a head activates the first thing that comes out is not clean clear water but old oily very smelly water. For situations where water will do more damage than fire as a computer main frame room a chemical device that will remove all the oxygen and triggered by infer red from a fire source.

Not to be argumentative, because I agree with you and often comment on the tv shows or movies that trip all the sprinkler heads. BUT, often in a dry pipe system, multiple heads can go off, even away from the fire. This is due to the sudden pressure of the pipe filling, if you live in a city with very high pressure. A dry system has maintained air pressure keeping a valve closed and the water out. When a sprinkler head breaks, hopefully due to heat, the air pressure is released and water flows in.

Also, most small businesses don't have a computer room and suppression system. I don't. And I do use portable drives, but also back up frequently and take my backups offsite. Product is a nice idea though.

[SecTrainer]

For situations where water will do more damage than fire as a computer main frame room a chemical device that will remove all the oxygen and triggered by infer red from a fire source.

Oxygen-displacement is not recommended except in very rare circumstances because of the obvious threat to human life, even if a warning annunciator is used. There are chemicals that will extinguish a fire without damaging electronics or posing this risk to life.

[Chucky]

Also, most small businesses don't have a computer room and suppression system. I don't. And I do use portable drives, but also back up frequently and take my backups offsite. Product is a nice idea though.

The remote storage method seems to be a very popular way to deal with your safe storage needs. EMC has a facility in this area that specialize in that and is huge. Like all things they must have a program to fit all size companies.
Trainer actually I think they my not even offer the Oxygen-displacement systems anymore for that very reason. Plus the last time I ever saw one go off it left a residue everywhere.

[integrator97]

The remote storage method seems to be a very popular way to deal with your safe storage needs. EMC has a facility in this area that specialize in that and is huge. Like all things they must have a program to fit all size companies.
Trainer actually I think they my not even offer the Oxygen-displacement systems anymore for that very reason. Plus the last time I ever saw one go off it left a residue everywhere.

I don't do the offsite storage over the internet. Being a security company, I just thing it's too risky. We may be small, but it's just something I'm not gonna try. We also don't have wifi for that reason. But most businesses don't have that issue.

They do still offer oxygen displacement (Halon and others), at least in the last 2 years. The whole idea of oxygen displacement is to not damage the electronics. I don't know, maybe it's easier to clean off the residue than replace everything.

[Chucky]

I can't be sure but I think the storage company uses the intranet as opposed to the internet. This is a private net that only subscribers can access. Most chain pharmacies have this system to send your info from anywhere in the world to others. I have noticed several dishes on the roof of the EMC co.