T 3.54 Use of unsuitable data media for archiving

Data media characterised by a defined field and period of application are used for storing data. In this connection, it may be the case that data media not meeting the requirements are permanently or temporarily used for storage.

Typical reasons include, for example:

• errors made while procuring or ordering the data media,
• insufficient inventory holding so that inadequate data media must be used in order to avoid a loss of data,
• incorrect labelling of the data media, or
• poor knowledge regarding the field of application of the data medium.

Using inadequate data media may cause a loss of data that may only occur after a longer storage period.

Example:

During routine procurement of new data media for an archive system, rewritable media are incorrectly ordered and delivered instead of write-once WORM media (Write Once Read Multiple). As a consequence of the mix-up, archived data is overwritten. Since the initial data was stored a very long time ago, there are no copies of the original data. Therefore, the documents that were stored initially are irrecoverable, since these were only archived electronically.