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Over the years file archiving e.g.
'the removal of outdated and unwanted information from computer systems', has always
been a challenge (and in fact the same problems apply to paper systems too).
There have
been
and still are many different flavours of file archiving solution around, but they
all work to similar methodology.
This consists
of :
1) Identifying
targets for archiving
2) Migrating
targets to second and third line storage
3) Complete
removal of targets to WORM media or similar when confirmed as no longer needed.
In the past
HSM ("Hierarchical Storage Management") systems that followed that exact method
ruled the roost. Nowadays Email systems, strict regulation (e.g. the Data Protection
Act) and varying space limitations have completely changed the rules.
In recent years there has also been
a bluring of the line between document management solutions and file archiving products
which complicates matters further.
Instead of
being driven by technology organisations need to look at the obligations that are
being placed upon them by the above pressures and decide exactly what they want
achieve.
Take step 3 for example. Companies in the UK that now retain information
on WORM media for years after it has been removed from their system when it was
no longer needed, are probably breaching the Data Protection Act! The data protection
act states that 'Information should only be kept for as long as it is needed'.
So how do
you select the right archiving solution for YOU. First of all make a list of your
specific challenges and work from that, don't just line up a round of software demo's
and go for the one that promises the most. You also need to ask yourself some important
questions, like :
Do you want
to archive E-mails?
Do you want
to archive files in you network shares?
Do you really
need file version control?
Are you really
looking for a document management system but just don't know it?
Don't be afraid
to choose two different archiving products. It is very rare that a single product
can perform two different jobs better than anything else (email and file archiving).
Also beware
of products that use proprietary storage mechanisms, like some kind 'secure encrypted
storage' mechanism. These solutions may be secure and great at keeping your data
safe, but how do you get your data out if (e.g. 'when') you want to move? How do
you integrate with it? If you weren't concerned enough about the files while they
were in your live file system to implement some kind of 'secure encrypted storage'
mechanism, why are you now concerned when they are reaching the end of their life?
Beware of products that let you archive your files into them, but then don't
let you fully remove them, thus making it impossible for you to comply with legislation!
(And yes believe it or not we do know of some that do this!).
Also you need
to fully appreciate the scale of solutions that use SQL databases for storing files
in. Imagine you had just 5TB of files.. doesn't sound a lot does it...
Now what if
you wanted to archive just 1/5th of that, that would be a 1TB SQL database.... Not
cheap.
All in all,
decide what you want to do. Ask yourself all those important questions, and be ruthless
when interrogating suppliers. Get down and dirty and technical with them to find
out exactly what their solutions can (and can't!) do.
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