Wednesday, May 30, 2007
TBJ Article

Data Storage Files Stack Up
Ray Tuttle
5/28/2007

Businesses of all kinds are producing more paper documents than ever.

Scott Hambrick noticed this. But, paper will never go out of style, he said.

“I guess the cynic in me looked at the ‘paperless’ movement and rejected it,” said Hambrick, president of Tulsa-based Data Storage Inc.

“At one time people expected everyone to have an airplane instead of an automobile. People always embrace new technologies enthusiastically and forget the redeeming features of the older technology.”

During the 1990s, many businesspeople ignored the need for storage, buying into the notion paper was doomed. The paperless revolution never materialized, however.

At the same time, the amount of information being generated today is astronomically higher than it was 20 years ago, Hambrick said.

“The volume of paper is still in increasing,” he said.

While paper makes up just 3 percent of all information, the volume continues to rise.

“The volume of paper is increasing 5 percent a year,” he said.

The amount of paper documents swells because tax filings are growing in size, and vendor invoices will always tend to be paper, as few are transmitted electronically, he said.

“There are larger classes of documents that continue to be paper and will persist in paper for a long time.” Hambrick said.

X-ray film, drawings and blueprints need to be kept for long periods of time - even for decades. Even though they may be electronic, those files are still printed and kept in paper form due to fear that the electronic files, kept on a disc, will be unreadable in 15 years.

“But, they know they can unroll the paper blueprint at any point,” Hambrick said.

More companies are obligated to hang onto their records for years. Many entrepreneurs face the hassle of knowing what to do about storing important documents, he said.

Everyone has experienced difficulty in managing paper and digital information, he said.

“Storage is not rocket science. But, as more companies become knowledge-based the information they generate becomes more important,” he said. “Security measures and backup procedures are growing concerns.”

Hambrick has a long history with Data Storage. As a high school student, he began working as a delivery driver for the company. He continued his work there while attending the University of Oklahoma. Hambrick finally left Data Storage to start a home remodeling company in Oklahoma City

Four years later, the owner of Data Storage was ready to retire. Hambrick joined him as a co-owner for 18 months before buying the company in 1998.

Today companies are turning toward commercial record centers for paper storage, he said.

“Also, as digital storage becomes more important, backing up that information is a growing problem,” Hambrick said. “Commercial record centers like Data Storage can also store and preserve digital backup media.”

When he took over, Data Storage used a card catalogue system. Today, Data Storage uses a state-of-the-art technique that incorporates bar codes, the Internet and online organizational tools that customers can search to obtain their documents quickly. Hambrick continues searching for ways to upgrade his technology.

Hambrick, who also works as a consultant to businesses about data and disaster mitigation, legal requirements and privacy, is considered an expert in data storage.

“There are companies that are able to manage that mountain of info,” he said.