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Connected ArchiveStore/EM™ - How it Works

Automatic Archiving

Directly From The Server

ArchiveStore/EM takes advantage of the native mail server journaling features of
Microsoft Exchange to automatically create a dedicated journal mailbox, which
collects copies of every message and attachment processed by the mail server.
Using IMAP or POP3, each message and attachment is then retrieved from this
mailbox for storage in the archive.

For each stored message, the solution stores an encryption key in a relational
database, along with expanded rfc822 header information and message
metadata. ArchiveStore/EM EventSync may be used to supplement journal
processing for Microsoft Exchange 2000 and 2003 servers. This feature expands
the entire SMTP envelope, allowing additional header information (e.g., bcc:
addresses, distribution lists, etc.) to be stored with each message.

Security and Scalability

Efficient, Safe and Unobtrusive

The solution captures every email and attachment at the server and subjects
each to rules-based policies. Those that meet archiving policies are immediately
compressed. Each document is secured using Advanced Encryption Standard
(AES) 256-bit encryption, and then digitally signed with a unique RSA 1024-bit
encryption key. The compressed, encrypted and signed messages and
attachments are then transferred to a relational database, where single-instance
storage software is applied to save the space of storing multiple copies of
identical messages/documents. Once an archived file is safely stored in the
database, it is deleted from the dedicated journal inbox.

Real-Time Archiving

No Time for Tampering

ArchiveStore/EM processes messages as they arrive at the email server, rather
than periodically trolling email servers or user in-boxes for new messages. This
real-time processing meets the most stringent legal requirements, leaving no
opportunities for file tampering prior to archiving.

Windows-Friendly

No Drain on System Performance

Functioning as a Windows service, the solution’s distributed configuration puts no
drag on email server performance during archiving. In fact, ArchiveStore/EM can
run multiple archiving processes simultaneously against different mail servers,
with no adverse effects on speed or functionality.

Policy-Driven Storage and Indexing

Customizable Policies

Every message processed by the solution is classified according to customizable
archiving policies that stipulate which messages are archived, where they are
stored and when they are to be destroyed. Retention policies are input by system
administrators, and automatically implemented and applied to all messages and
attachments across the organization. Individual users have no control over which
messages are archived and which are not, ensuring compliance with legal
requirements.

Search and Retrieve

Immediate Indexing

Prior to moving to more cost-effective secondary storage (as specified by system
administrators), compressed and encrypted messages and attachments are
stored in a relational database. While in the database, the Java-based Lucene
full-text indexing system catalogs for each email the subject line, body text and
attachments to allow for rapid text-based search and retrieval of archived data.
Native Java and Microsoft-specific parsers index a wide variety of attachments,
including Microsoft Office documents and PDF files.

Policy Enforcement

Automatic Enforcement of Customized Policies

The ArchiveStore/EM Policy Enforcement Engine, also configured as a Windows
service, regularly flags messages for near-line or offline storage to be processed
by the Job Queue and Offline Storage Systems. Messages may also be retained
in the relational database for fastest access.

Once a message has reached its designated end-of-life, the Policy Enforcement
Engine deletes the message and its metadata from the relational database.
Destruction of the file’s unique encryption key makes message retrieval or display
impossible.

All email destruction is audited. Administrators may set time limits after which
audit trail records relating to destroyed messages are themselves designated for
destruction.

Access

User-Friendly, Authorized Access

ArchiveStore/EM automatically syncs user access privileges using Microsoft Active
Directory or an LDAP server, ensuring that users can access only email messages
and attachments originally sent to them, sent by them or cc’d to them. If a user
is removed from a distribution list, the solution recognizes the change and allows
user views only for messages prior to the removal date.

Archived messages are accessible via a web browser or through users’ mail
client applications. ArchiveStore/EM provides Google-like text queries of
messages, allowing retrieved email to be viewed online or recovered to the
original inbox. System administrators have the power to recover email to any
mailbox. The ArchiveStore/EM Stub Manager allows users of Microsoft Exchange
2000 and 2003 mail servers can access email directly from a Windows mail
client.

Storage Reduction

Free Up To 90% of Email Server Space

ArchiveStore/EM can reduce mail server storage requirements by up to 90%. In
addition to compressing and applying single-instance-storage to all email and
attachments being archived, ArchiveStore/EM Stub Manager searches Exchange
server message stores, replacing archived email with a short stub – an
iframe-based HTTP reference that redirects the mail client to the
ArchiveStore/EM database for message retrieval.

Transparent User Access

To end users, stub processing is completely transparent. Access to an archived
message prompts automatic return of an HTML version of the message via the
ArchiveStore/EM web interface. The message is then displayed in the preview
pane of the user’s mail client.

Retire Email Servers

Replacing mail server messages and attachments with HTTP references allows
ArchiveStore/EM to sharply reduce storage demands on Exchange servers. This
speeds backup processing and gives administrators the option of consolidating
multiple servers.

Unlimited User Mailbox Size

The space saving benefits of iframe-based stubs – combined with space-saving
compression, single-instance storage, quota management and automatic,
continuous archiving – finally allow IT to do away with the need to impose size
limitations on user mailboxes. ArchiveStore/EM’s Stub Manager enables user
access to archived messages through the web client. Message stubs are created
following policy rules, so that access to the archive can be made as easy as
access to fresh email, and users no longer need to store aging emails as .pst
files.

Audit

Compliance Built In

ArchiveStore/EM performs comprehensive auditing of every event in the lifecycle
of an archived email message. The audit system tracks every time a message is
stored, viewed, retrieved or deleted, noting the activity in the database. Changes
to archiving policies are audited as well.

Because every email and attachment is encrypted and digitally signed
immediately upon entering the Archiver, there is no possibility of the audit trail
being circumvented. This guarantee cannot be made without cradle-to-grave file
encryption.

ArchiveStore/EM Database and Mail Migration

Comprehensive Archiving

ArchiveStore/EM runs on a Microsoft SQL Server2000 database, processing
access data using JDBC calls. The database is designed for connection pooling,
using short transactions with minimal locking. Maintenance routines are supplied
to perform database backup, index rebuilds, statistics recalculations and integrity
checking.

ArchiveStore/EM provides tools to import historical and offline archives of mail
messages into the main database. Messages in the Exchange message store are
imported using the Microsoft migration facility; .pst files on user desktops can be
processed using a mail import tool.