Implement an Email and Content Archive Solution

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Archiving strategy encompasses storage controls and efficient response to regulators.
Archiving is expensive and rarely delivers on its promises when deployed just for email.
Archiving is invisible to business users but touches many parts of their day-to-day processes. Defining the benefits at the cost of archiving is difficult.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Archiving is no longer about email, you must have a clear business need to justify the cost.
You get what you pay for: there is a tight connection between cost and the number of features that are provided.
Archiving is an integral part of your information governance strategy and your storage strategy.

Impact and Result

Most organizations have more than enough server-based and Exchange-based tools to control their storage and regulatory overhead.
Organizations can save up to 80% of the cost of discovery by adopting an archiving strategy and repeatable process.
Reduce IT’s pain in email management through building a searchable archive.

Implement an Email and Content Archive Solution Research & Tools

1. Gather the business requirements for the archiving project

Create an archiving project plan.

2. Decide whether current email and server tools are good enough

Outline the changes to current strategy and the solution required to meet the future needs.

3. Make the case for additional archiving capabilities

Use the vendor landscape and detailed feature analysis tool to assess vendors.

4. Plan the implementation

Understand the key steps in implementing an email archiving platform.

Workshop: Implement an Email and Content Archive Solution

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Define the scope of the problem

The Purpose

Identify the scope of archiving needs.
Evaluate the complexity of your needs.
Prioritize high risk information.

Key Benefits Achieved

A determination if third-party archive products are appropriate.
Definition of the sources of risk that should be monitored.

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Define the current regulations

1.2

Evaluate the growth of information in the organization

1.3

Map the gaps in your current strategy

An outline of the business case
A go/no-go decision on third-party solutions

Module 2: Plan a solution based on your needs

The Purpose

Define the gaps in the current archiving strategy.
Evaluate the technical solution that fills the gap.
Build a business case for any changes in process or new technology.

Key Benefits Achieved

A clear understanding of current competency.
A full understanding of what can be achieved with current server architecture and fileshares.

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Define the key use case for archiving

A business case for archiving as a strategy

2.2

Define the current archive process

2.3

Identify the knowledge gaps in the current process

A workflow for eDiscovery and Exchange mailbox reinstall

2.4

Build an RFP

An RFP or communication plan for change in IT processes

Implement an Email and Content Archive Solution visualization

Match the value of the storage to the value of your content.

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Table of Contents

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 1-phase advisory process. You'll receive 4 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Call 1: Build a defensible case for an email and content archive strategy

Gather the requirements and numbers that you need to build a defendable case for implementing archiving.
Call 2: Decide on what technology you need

Most organizations have such little need for archiving that archive products are not cost effective. Walk through best practices for defining and building a legally defensible archive process.
Call 3: Fill in the business case template

The use case needs to be important to the business. IT can justify the case on storage gains, as the business won’t buy it without clear costs or value gains.
Call 4: Define your number one use case for archiving

Choosing the most important use case is critical to appropriately shortlisting vendors.

Authors

George Goodall

Christopher Wynder

Contributors

19 organizations contributed information to assist with the development of this blueprint. Due to the sensitivity of the information, all contributors requested confidentiality.