How the professionals do it

At the mine, the precious nuggets go in, preserving key data and slices of US past

Iron Mountain's vast data storage complex 220 feet underground houses historic photos, master recordings by Elvis Presley and other artists, and reams of sensitive business data.

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"Companies are beginning to worry about the security of their most vital records," said industry analyst Edward J. Atorino, managing director for Benchmark Co., a New York brokerage firm. "So you're seeing some of these new businesses, like microfilm, percolating below the surface. And Iron Mountain is taking advantage of it."
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Prints and negatives for these and thousands of other photos are stored in a freezer-like vault cooled to 45 degrees with 35 percent humidity. The vault also houses banks of card catalogs, glass plates in wooden crates, and rows of file cabinets crammed with photos of historic figures (or actors who have played them in movies), athletes, and celebrities: Jennifer Lopez is across from Thomas Jefferson; Martina Hingis has a place next to Hootie & the Blowfish.