Data stores hold your removable media. They form a vital link in your Backup and Recovery procedures, since they should contain duplicate copies of your essential data. Usually 'on-site' data stores are maintained in conjunction with a 'remote data store' located far enough away from your main computer site, not to be affected by any disaster that may befall it. This section is primarily concerned with 'on-site' data stores. Clearly, losing your stored data could have very serious repercussions. See also Managing Backup and Recovery Procedures.

• Theft / Fraud of media, or malicious damage, would threaten the confidentiality of your data, and may make it difficult or impossible for Systems Operations to perform their duties.

• Ensure that your data store is located within a secure area.
• Restrict access to the media to the minimum number of staff possible, but always more than one.
• Maintain tight control over media leaving and entering the secure area. Consider the use of locked boxes and dual control to protect media in transit.
• Be wary of technical staff who ask to remove media from the site or wish to bring media in.
• Agree formal procedures for non-routine media movements, preferably involving written managerial authorisation. Check periodically that the procedure is working.
• Consider restricting the hours of the day and days of the week, during which certain staff have right of access to the data store.

• Accidental damage may render it difficult or impossible to process or restore information, causing possible loss to your organisation.

• Ensure that the manufacturer's guidelines with regard to the storage of media are followed. This is particularly important because media may be in your data store for a very long time.
• Ensure that the stored media is afforded due protection against environmental threats.
• Diarise periodic checks to ensure that controls are being applied as intended.

• Loss of media and data may seriously compromise the ability of Systems Operations to maintain an efficient system.

• Ensure that all media is adequately labelled, whether physically and / or magnetically.
  
  N.B.: Being able to locate the right media at the right time is critical.
• Verify that appropriate procedures ensure that there is no danger of media, which holds valuable data, being overwritten or deleted.
• Consider taking duplicate copies of important media for added security, but do not store them in the same location.