Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
the.switch.it.is.connected.to,.if.it.is.long.distance,.and.if.so,.
which.carrier.it.is.using.to.make.the.connections.
You.are.connected.nearly.instantaneously.in.most.cases,.
but.if.there.are.any.glitches.in.that.connection,.those.may.be.
recorded.by.the.switching.computers.or.other.troubleshoot-
ing.computers.owned.by.the.phone.service.
Once.you.make.your.connection.and.begin.to.carry.on.a.
conversation,.in.most.cases.no.digital.record.is.kept.of.that.
conversation..Of.course.there.are.exceptions.to.that.if.there.
is. some. reason. for. recording. the. conversation,. such. as. law.
enforcement-initiated.wiretaps..Or.it.might.simply.be.a.legally.
requested.and.pre-notiied.recording,.“for.training.and.quality.
control.purposes,”.like.you.often.hear.when.you.are.contact-
ing.a.service.provider.
Normally,.though,.there.will.not.be.a.digital.record.of.your.
actual.conversation..But.when.you.are.done.and.say,.“OK,.
grandma,. we'll. be. out. for. Thanksgiving”. and. hang. up. the.
phone,.another.record.is.created..That.records.the.time.you.
disconnected.the.call,.the.cost.of.that.call,.the.minutes.you.
used. for. the. call,. and. possibly. other. information. about. the.
quality.of.the.connection.
Once.again,.I'm.sure.you.can.imagine.many.different.sce-
narios.where.the.information.stored.in.those.records.could.be.
of.great.interest.and.signiicance..It.could.be.as.simple.(but.
important.to.your.bank.account).as.verifying.the.number.of.
minutes.you.spent.on.long.distance,.in.case.there.is.a.mistake.
on.your.bill..Or.it.could.be.much.more.signiicant.in.a.legal.
dispute.when.you.need.to.answer.the.question,.who.did.this.
person.contact,.when,.and.for.how.long?
To.be.able.to.utilize.that.information.to.answer.whichever.
query.might.arise,.you.have.to.know
•. Where.the.data.live
•. Who.has.access.to.the.data
•. Who. has. the. expertise. and. the. resources. to. gather,.
preserve,.and.deliver.that.data.in.a.readable.format
