subject: Should I Use My Own Boxes For Off Site Data Storage? [print this page] For those companies who have been storing their data on their own, when moving to a Philadelphia document management company they may want to maintain some of their current archiving procedures. In most cases these requests can be accommodated as long as the request doesn't directly conflict with processes currently being used by the data storage company. One question that typically comes up is if a company can use their own boxes for data storage.
Most data storage companies will allow you to use your own boxes if you want to go that route. If you are new to formal data storage and archiving, you may not have your own boxes and the data storage service will be able to provide them. However, if you decide that you must use your own boxes, you need to be aware of few things to minimize confusion and loss of data.
One of the most important things to note when using your own boxes is that you should always use unmarked boxes. Bright colors and large logos should not be used on boxes for data storage as they can minimize the appearance of official bar code labeling on the box. In addition, the company logo on the box gives probing eyes a hint of what type of data might be inside. The bar code is non-distinct and gives no hint as to the type of data contained in the box. This provides additional security and anonymity for your data.
The size of the box should also be a consideration. The data storage company will insist that you use standard sized boxes for your files. Since the data storage company has optimized their facility to accommodate boxes of a specific size, any deviation in the size of the boxes could diminish their capacity beyond what was expected.
With large variations in the size of the box, larger boxes would take up too much space and smaller boxes would not take full advantage of the available space. Additionally, the boxes might be constructed of a material that does not meet the standards set by the data storage facility. They are guaranteeing the safety of your data and, to be able to do that; they must be allowed to control all environmental factors that could affect the integrity of the data.
In most cases, it's best to use the boxes provided by the Philadelphia document management service. They are specifically designed for this purpose and will hold up well under the service's climate controlled conditions.
