Cold Storage

Cold Storage refers to DSD policy for archive and retrieval of transitory file artifacts.

With the exception of email communications, DSD does not manage storage, retention, archival and retrieval for official authoritative artifacts for the SONM. Email is transitory by nature but is retained by PSFA and subject to IPRA while it is in possession or while it is under a previous litigation "hold".

Transitory File Artifacts

A transitory file artifact is a non-official, and/or non-legal file that itself is used to create a more permanent authoritative record in an authoritative information system. DSD maintains two-levels of "Cold Storage" for transitory artifacts:

  • Glacier: Files retrievable from a live, low-performance server; itself, not part of disaster recovery plan. Files are automatically moved to Glacier no sooner than 10 years post-creation and no sooner than 11 years for open capital project related financial files.
  • Ice Age: Files retrievable from optical digital media which must be checked out from DSD and returned when not in use. Ice Age artifacts are not part of the disaster recovery portfolio and are destroyed no sooner than 5 years after placement in Ice Age status. Low value file types (such as media) are moved directly to Ice Age, while most document types first go to Glacier prior to Ice Age.

Authoritative Information Systems

Authoritative Information Systems are those deemed to be the "sole source of truth" of legally required data or, by other governance and/or rulemaking (IPRA), for example, systems that capture actualities for capital project financials. In addition, these systems have audit controls to track who made and when a change was made as well as the ability to lock from further changes and retain from pre-determined periods, or for purposes of litigation (holds). Information systems that are used to produce work products themselves are not authoritative (e.g., MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, MS Project (unless used to track capital project performance), PDF's unless used for official document signing where that artifact is then uploaded to an authoritative system.

  • e-Builder Capital Construction Project Management (3rd-Party).
  • SHARE HCM Human Capital Management (3rd-Party).
  • SHARE FCM Financial Management (3rd-Party).
  • Microsoft Outlook Email Communication (PSFA); See PSFA DSD email policy.
  • Adobe PDF Signed Document Management (PSFA) when uploaded to an authoritative system, the original becomes non-authoritative.