EM IT Insight

10 December 2004EM

EM IT Insight

by Jill Barson Gilbert

Recently, during an environment, health, and safety(EH&S) software demonstration, I described how userscould access their EH&S data via the Web. Surprised,

my client exclaimed, “Oh, good! Now I don’t have to takemy files home on a flash drive. I can get to them from myhome computer.”

In the mid-1990s, Oracle Chief Executive Officer LarryEllison envisioned a “network appliance”—an ever-present“thin client” with no hard drive or CD drive that wouldeliminate the need to carry computers everywhere. Instead,users would access software, data, and personal settingsthrough the network appliance. Although we can access amultitude of applications via the Web, we still don’t seemto fully trust it. Today, to avoid carrying computers, we don’tuse a thin client, but instead rely upon small, portable datastorage devices to carry our most important files. This col-umn examines an array of currently available mobile datastorage devices, their benefits, and limitations.

MOBILE DATA STORAGESometimes you want to transport just a few data files, notyour entire computer. And technology provides an impres-sive array of small, affordable storage devices to do so (seesidebar opposite). For example, flash memory card readersand writers easily transfer digital pictures, audio files, datafiles, and handheld computer files; a thumb-sized 128-MBflash drive has six times the memory of the first desktopcomputers; a one-inch-square Compact Flash card holdsapproximately 130 high-resolution photos; and CDs and

DVDs hold massive amounts of data. In the mid-1990s, thechoices were limited to a 1.44-MB 31/2-inch floppy disc, a 100-MB ZIP disc, or an expensive 1-GB JAZ drive (ZIP and JAZdrives; Iomega Corp.).

ISSUESIf you use mobile data storage devices, you should be aware ofthe limitations related to changing standards for software andhardware, as well as data security, accessibility, and liability.

Changing StandardsDo you seem to be forever chasing technology, never tocatch up? If you have several computers or peripherals thatwere purchased at different times, you probably have com-patibility issues due to ever-changing standards—includingstandards for operating systems, software versions, cables,connectors, and storage media. The following examplesoffer simple solutions to common problems.

Problem: You run a small environmental consulting prac-tice and want to back up your important files onto CDs,but the files are located on two different computers: a newernotebook computer and an older desktop computer. Yournotebook has a DVD/CD-RW (rewritable CD-ROM) driveand an external floppy drive, while your desktop computerhas an optical drive that cannot read the CDs that the note-book computer writes.

Solution: Subscribe to a Web-based data storage solution

Copyright 2004 Air & Waste Management Association

December 2004 11EM

and then copy the desired files onto CDs for safekeeping.Alternatively, purchase a universal serial bus (USB) flash driveto transfer all of the desired files onto a single systembefore burning CDs using the newer optical drive.

Problem: You have completed an environmental audit andwant to store digital photos on your notebook and handheldcomputers. The digital camera uses a Compact Flash card,while the handheld uses a memory stick. How do you get the

MOBILE STORAGE MEDIA

Mobile storage media have different form factors thatallow integration with a notebook or desktop computer.

Storage Media Form Factorsand Features

Memory Stick (MS) Card, three formats, 32MB–1 GB. Sony Standard.

Compact Flash (CF) Card Card, durable, 16 MB–4GB. SanDisk standard.

Multimedia Card (MMC) Card, solid state, smallestand thinnest, high transferspeeds. More durable, upto 512 MB.

Secure Digital (SD) Card Card, size of MMC,encryption capabilities.Newer, developed byPanasonic, SanDisk, andToshiba. Up to 1 GB, 4 GBin future.

Smart Media (SM) Card Card, very small and thin,up to 128 MB.

eXtreme Digital (XD) Card Card, very small, uses lesspower, 32–512 MB.Olympus/Fujifilm standard.

Microdrive Miniature hard drive, CFcard form factor, up to4 GB. IBM/Hitachi standard.

Flash Drive Thumb- or pen-sized driveplugs into computer USBport, 16 MB–1 GB.

Compact Disc (CD) Optical disc, many sizes,50–700 MB. CD drivesstart at $50.

Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) Optical disc, 4.7–8.5 GB.DVD writers start at $100.

HELP DESK: Still confused about which is the bestdevice for your needs? I encourage you to readproduct reviews for these and other devices online atwww.cnet.com or www.zdnet.com.

Fill out the online membership form or call the A&WMA MembershipDepartment directly at +1-412-232-3444.Organizational Membership includes the following benefits:✔ One Deluxe Membership for the primary organizational member,

who will receive both EM and the Journal.✔ Additional employees at the current organizational member’s

address can become individual members of A&WMA for $55.00USD per year instead of $150.00 USD.

✔ Organizational members may purchase a library subscription toEM or the Journal for only $75.00 USD per year.

✔ Organizational Members will be listed in each issue of EM and inthe Annual Conference & Exhibition program.

✔ Organizational Members receive discounts on certain exhibits andadvertising opportunities with A&WMA.

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS as of 9/30/04• 3M• Abbott Laboratories• Aerospace Corp.• Allegheny County Health Dept.• American Petroleum Institute (API)• Andrews Environmental Engineering, Inc.• Anniston Army Depot -

Directorate of Risk Manangement• Aquila, Inc.• ARCADIS G & M, Inc.• Archer Daniels Midland Company• ASMD Library, US EPA NERL• Barr Engineering Company• Battelle• Bay Area Air Quality Management District• BP Exploration (Alaska), Inc.• bwa Waste Reduction Center• Calgon Carbon Corporation• California Army National Guard - Env. Programs• California Air Resources Board• Canadian ORTECH Environmental Inc.• Capital Regional District - Environmental Services• City of Dallas - Office of Environmental Quality• City of Indianapolis, Office of Environmental Services• City of Toronto, City Hall• Clark County, Dept. of Air Quality Mgmt.• Clark County Dept. of Aviation• Coleraine Minerals Research Laboratory• Colorado Springs Utilities• Conneticut Dept. of Environmental Protection• Controlled Environment Equipment Corp.• Cornell University, Environmental Compliance Office• Coso Operating Company • Dept. of Environment - Perth, Australia• Dept. of Environmental Quality, Portland, OR• Desert Research Institute,

Southern Nevada Science Center• Desert Research Institute,

Northern Nevada Science Center• Dow Chemical• Earth Consulting Group, Inc.• Earth Research Group, Inc.• Earth Tech - Roswell, GA• Earth Tech - Concord, MA• Eastern Research Group• Eli Lilly and Company• ENSR Corporation - Camarillo• ENSR Corporation - Houston• ENSR International• ENVIRON• Environmental Protection Division, Victoria BC• Environmental Quality Management - Cincinnati• EPC - Hillsborough County• Epsilon Associates• Golder Associates• HAZCLEAN Environmental Consultants, Inc.• Hill Air Force Base• Hitz American, Inc.• Hospira Inc.• Idaho Dept. of Environmental Quality• Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management• International Company for Petroleum Waste• International Truck and Engine Corp.• Japan Burner Research Association• Kentuckiana Engineering Company• Kuwait National Petroleum Company• Lakeland College • Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power• Louisiana Dept. of Environmental Quality

• Lurgi Lentjes North America, Inc.• MACTEC Engineering and Consulting• Maricopa County - Air Quality Division• Maryland Dept. of the Environment• Mecklenburg County Air Quality• METCO Environmental• Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Assoc.• Ministry of the Environment,

Integrated Env. Planning Division• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency• Mississippi Dept. of Environmental Quality• Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District• Montana - Dakota Utilities Company• NC DENR - Division of Air Quality• Nevada Dept. of Environmental Protection• New United Motors Mfg., Inc. (NUMMI)• Norwegian Institute for Air Research• O`Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc. - Syracuse, NY• O`Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc. - Blue Bell, PA• Olympic Region Clean Air Agency• Ontario Ministry of the Environment,

Env. Assessment & Approvals Branch• Orange County Government• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory• Palm Beach County Public Health• Parsons• Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection -

NW Region• Penobscot Indian Nation• Perma-Fix Environmental Services• PPG Industries-Allison Park, PA• PPG Industries-Lake Charles, LA• Research Triangle Institute• Robinson & Wood, Inc.• RW Beck, Inc.• San Diego County Air Pollution Control District• San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District• Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District• Saudi Aramco Environmental Protection Dept.• Saudi Company for Environmental Works• Schreiber, Yonley & Associates• Scientific Control Laboratories• Sierra Research• Silver State Analytical Laboratories• Sonoma Technology• South Coast Air Quality Management District• Southern California Edison• Southern Company• Southwest Clean Air Agency• STS Consultants, Ltd.• Taiwan Power Company• Tampa Electric Company• Tennessee Air Pollution Control• TRC Environmental Corp.• Trinity Consultants• Tucson Electric Power Company• TW Environmental• URS Corp. / Salt Lake City• US Army Garrision, Fort Detrick• US EPA Region 4 - Air, Pesticides

& Toxics Management Division• US EPA Region 6 Employees’ Association• US EPA Region 7• US Navy, Engineering Service Center - Port Hueneme• Utah Div. of Air Quality• Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality• WA State Dept. of Corrections• Wenck Associates

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EM IT Insight

12 December 2004EM

three devices to communicate? And how do you preserve thephotos indefinitely?

Solution: Use the notebook computer as the central reposi-tory and processing unit. Use USB data synchronizationcables, an inexpensive USB memory card reader, or a PC-card adapter to transfer the digital photos from the Com-pact Flash card to the notebook. First, synchronize thehandheld computer with the notebook to transfer photosto the handheld, and then decide where to archive the pho-tos permanently, according to your organization’s standards(e.g., a shared server and/or CDs, DVDs, or tapes securelystored offsite).

SecurityIt is important to recognize that mobile storage devices cancompromise the security of an EH&S management infor-mation system or an entire organization. If misplaced, lost,or stolen, any of these devices can create more than a mildheadache. Regular data backups can help avert businessinterruptions, but data in the wrong hands can create may-hem. Keep mobile storage devices safe. Remember:

• Handheld computers are the virtual “brains” ofyour business, storing contact names, appoint-ments, critical tasks, and e-mails—most users do notpassword-protect their data.

• Memory cards store the equivalent of 1400 or morefloppy discs, and easily fit into a pocket, wallet, orpurse—most do not require passwords for dataaccess.

• CDs and DVDs are very portable—people can easilyread and copy these discs.

Write Now, Read Later?Data storage is cheap, fast, and reliable. Memory cards, CDs,and DVDs require adapters or readers to transfer data to aPC. How will we retrieve today’s files tomorrow? If technol-ogy continues to change at “warp speed,” we must periodi-cally evaluate whether to migrate files stored on older media.For example, if you have files stored on 51/4- or 31/2-inchfloppy discs, it’s a safe bet to migrate these files to networkstorage, then to the network backup storage device of choice(e.g., tapes, CDs, DVDs, external hard drive). If you chooseto leave these files as is, at a minimum you will need tomaintain a working disc drive to read your files.

Data LiabilityThe use of rewritable data storage devices can lead to re-dundant and inconsistent data entry, as well as version con-trol concerns. If an EH&S manager uses a flash drive andupdates a file, then fails to upload the edited file to the server,he or she has created a potential liability. Which version is

About the AuthorJill Barson Gilbert, QEP, is president of Lexi-con Systems, LLC. She helps organizationsincrease business value by designing and imple-menting EH&S management solutions thatleverage technology. A respected author andspeaker, Gilbert is past chair of A&WMA’sInformation Solutions Committee. She can bereached at JBGilbert@Lexicon-Systems.com.

the correct version? To minimize data liability, use a centraldata repository for critical data. If you must use a mobiledata storage device, ensure that you upload changes to your“master” document or database. Use editing tools native toyour office software suite to highlight and accept changes,and then delete any draft versions that are not your finalwork product.

Mobile data storage devices will exist as long as peopledesire anytime, anywhere access to business applicationsand data; that is, until we have truly universal access to,and implicitly trust, the Web for our most prized data. Aware-ness of the benefits and limitations of mobile storagedevices allows EH&S professionals to make good businessdecisions and to have backup plans when devices fail.Closely consider how you use these devices for sensitivedata and, if needed, revise your company’s policies andprocedures.

MOBILE DATASTORAGE SECURITY TIPS

Account for portable storage devices—knowhow many devices are within your organizationand implement chain-of-custody procedures.

Keep mobile data storage devices in a securelocation.

Password-protect mobile storage devices if possible.Do not provide the password to others.

Back up files regularly on a secure network drive.

Periodically review the contents of mobile storagedevices and remove unneeded files.

Use an electronic “shredder” utility to destroydeleted files on memory cards, and flash drives; usea commercial paper shredder to shred or otherwiserender CDs and DVDs unreadable.

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Copyright 2004 Air & Waste Management Association