Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1596
www.iltanet.org E-Mail Life Cycle 23 • Provide accurate search tools that provide consistent results with other production systems, preferably without requiring redundant processes, systems and hardware • Allow for easy management and coordination of master policies, metadata and security between critical systems, such as records and content management • Improve efficiency of the storage of vast amounts of e-mail by lessening the load on strained systems, and optimizing overall systems performance Seemingly small holes in an e-mail management system can create significant management problems or user frustration down the road. Before deciding on a solution, consider where to manage e-mail, what exactly should be managed and the process for managing e-mail. EvERyThIng has a PLaCE E-mail content today represents the largest volume of content being stored in most organizations. The first decision to make is where to store it. Several options are available, each with specific benefits and drawbacks: • In-place storage in the e-mail system: This is the default system that everyone uses, but e-mail systems currently cannot adequately handle the load or requirements of true e-mail management. Microsoft's Exchange Server 2010 represents an acknowledgement of this fact and addresses some of these shortcomings. • Stand-alone archive systems: They do an excellent job of storing vast volumes of data but historically have not integrated well with other systems. Archive systems typically require redundant management for security, and they can be awkward for users to access. • E-discovery systems: These systems are highly specialized for more complex tasks related to discovery, litigation holds, content analysis and so on. They are generally the most expensive solutions, making them overkill for day-to-day tasks. • Document or content management systems: These systems are already in place in most law firms and corporate legal departments, and they offer the broadest array of functionality for managing e-mail content without external archives or dedicated e-discovery systems. With integrated security and search capabilities, as well as a user interface that is integrated into user applications, these systems provide the most user-friendly working environments. PICK and ChOOsE CaREfuLLy Some critical points to consider in assessing an e-mail management solution include: • Does the solution manage non-message content including contacts, calendar items, notes, tasks and journal entries? • Does the solution support mailboxes, public folders and .pst files? Can it process password-protected .pst files? • Does the solution preserve the content intact? Will the content being delivered by the system be able to stand up to discovery demands? • Is message de-duplication safe and efficient? Does the system accurately identify duplicates so that it is efficient in reducing storage space? Does it falsely identify messages that are different as being identical duplicates? • Can it process e-mail content in different ways according to different policies? Not every message needs to be saved into the e-mail management system. Can the solution be adapted to identify different types of content and treat that content in different ways? Can different ways of filtering messages be applied simultaneously? • Does the solution support reprocessing the same content different ways to support different phases of management at different points in the content's lifecycle? An example of this is commonly referred to as the use of a "courtesy copy" of a message. This is a message that is only copied to the e-mail management system. It is flagged, categorized or marked in some way to indicate that it is being managed. It can be tagged to indicate where the managed copy can be accessed and possibly show additional metadata that is being associated with the stored message. A courtesy copy makes it easy for users to reply to or forward the message, especially when using remote devices. Subsequent processing of the courtesy copy could include replacing it with a link, stub or pointer to the managed copy. This becomes the master copy of the message and then subsequent processing deletes the courtesy copy, link or stub. hOW TO ManagE Consider the processes for identifying content to be managed, and how content is moved from the e-mail system to the e-mail management system. These processes include some degree of end user involvement, which could introduce errors. It should be possible, however, to combine user input with overlapping automated processes while minimizing a user's ability to foil the fundamental risk management issues. In other words, user input should be optional and helpful, but unable to