Implementing successful e-mail storage solutions.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: UP FRONT: News, Trends & Analysis

The overwhelming use of e-mail and e-mail attachments in the workplace, along with requirements to retain electronic communications for regulatory compliance and legal discovery, have created a demand for e-mail storage solutions.

Archiving solutions--as they are referred to by IT--first require an e-mail management and archiving policy, which, experts say, must take into account factors including business drivers, compliance, privacy, business productivity, and litigation and discovery trends, according to a recent SearchCIO.com report.

The report, "E-mail Archiving: Four Steps to Ensuring Success," offers four important guidelines for chief information officers (CIOs) and others who are creating an e-mail retention program:

1. Create cost models: CIOs should facilitate cost and risk discussions, but allow legal and compliance officials to set the policies. CIOs, with the legal department, should evaluate the costs and risks of the proposed e-mail retention policies.

2. Consensus builds good policy: While CIOs are important contributors to the policies that govern e-mail archiving, they should by no means be the sole arbitrators. Building a good policy to govern e-mail archiving requires cooperation and consensus among IT...