Page 5 - FCW, May 30, 2016

format until disposition can be executed.
Access: E-mail records must remain usable and retrievable
throughout their lifecycle.
Disposition: The agency must have a NARA-approved schedule
in place to be able to carry out the disposition of permanent and temporary email records; using either agency-specific schedules or General Records Schedule (GRS) 6.1: E-mail Managed under a Capstone Approach.
A comprehensive records management system that can
address all agency policies, its Capstone requirements, other NARA requirements and meet the success criteria should have several capabilities. These include features such as federated search, customized filters, extraction and indexing of metadata, collaborative features, secure mobile access and high-level security.
The ability to search across multiple systems is critical. Not only does federated search save time, it also helps ensure agencies don’t unintentionally miss potentially important content during the search. For example, if an agency is responding to a FOIA or e-discovery request, it may have to search across five different systems to satisfy the request conditions. The time it would take to issue search queries and cull through the results of each system is inefficient and labor- intensive at best and subject to human error.
Searching through gigabytes or potentially petabytes of data takes time. With customizable filters, agencies can refine searches by various characteristics. For example, a search for content created in the past year by a specific user is easier with filters that can specify those parameters. The ability to extract, index and search metadata from documents, PDFs, e-mail files and attachments and other records stored on legacy systems also is useful for hold, e-discovery requests and FOIA requests. Metadata includes information such as the sender, subject and recipient of emails.
A full-featured content management system will also help foster the type of inter- or intra-agency collaboration often needed to fully respond to an e-discovery request, FOIA request or litigation. For example, during litigation, an agency might have to search for specific records and export them to outside counsel.
Security is a particularly critical aspect of records management, especially for federal agencies. Most legacy systems don’t provide security classification or marks, roles-based access or permissions. These features have become important tools in the struggle to maintain security. Security classifications and security marks are the most
important line of defense. With this structure, users with specific security clearances,
such as Top Secret or Secret, can only view anything marked at that level or below.
SpoNSoRed RepoRt
the best way to meet the naRa mandate is to find a way to manage all records in a single repository.
With roles-based access, agencies can assign roles to each function in the system and ensure only users with those roles can access relevant information. Permissions take access to a more granular level. Depending on a person’s role in a project, he or she may be able to simply view a document, edit it, or add a version. This not only helps maintain security, but ensures efficient version control.
In today’s mobile world, extending security to mobile devices
and accesses also is essential. That means making sure every device has appropriate profile and provisioning tools to ensure downloaded applications are secure and accessible to specific classes of mobile users. A secure provisioning capability also ensures users are using a virtual private network (VPN), which encrypts transmission channels.
BeYOnd the Mandate
Ultimately, the NARA mandate is not an end in itself. Instead, it is a step towards a greater goal: Improving the ability of government agencies to carry out their missions.
“Records are the foundation of open government, supporting the principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration,” states the NARA mandate. “Well-managed records can be used to assess the impact of programs, to improve business processes, and to share knowledge across the Government.”
That is what is at stake. It is a bold vision, but it is also achievable. The mandate points the way.
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