LaserVault Module Helps Users Purge Old Reports from Servers

by Alex Woodie

A renewed focus on disaster recovery and security has highlighted the importance of running regular data backups and keeping vital business documents available. But the flip side of that coin is also important, namely the timely elimination of old reports, to protect an organization from lawsuits. Electronic Storage, a developer of the LaserVault document management and imaging systems for OS/400 and other servers, unveiled new software last week that automates the purging of old documents.

The new File Management module works with LaserVault Reports, Electronic Storage's Windows-based application for archiving and indexing spool files and other reports generated from OS/400, Unix, mainframe, and Windows servers. Once reports are housed within LaserVault Reports, users can look for and access the reports from a Windows, Web, or a 5250 interface.

The new File Management component uses the Windows interface, and enables system administrators to create a retention schedule that defines the expiration dates for reports. The retention schedule can be organized from the general archive level down to individual documents, and reports can be purged according to a plan that varies from one day up to two years, the company says.

It's important for organizations to protect themselves from potentially damaging litigation by eliminating documents they no longer are legally required to hold. Even if the retention period for a certain document has expired, if the organization has not gotten rid of it, that document is admissible in court and can be used against the organization. Similarly, documents that are backed up by an organization's disaster recovery system are also admissible, which highlights the importance of having a department-wide policy for the management of all documents throughout their lifecycle.

In addition to automating the timely elimination of documents that, legally, the company is no longer required to maintain, LaserVault File Management module also allows administrators to put a "hold" on documents, ensuring that documents relevant to a particular litigation or audit process, such as complying with HIPAA or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, will not be lost or deleted. These holds can be placed on individual documents, groups of documents created within the same timeframe, or on entire archives, and holds can be set to run indefinitely or until a certain date is reached. The software also provides a place to include comments and contact information with the hold.

The LaserVault File Management system can be set to purge documents on a daily or a monthly basis. The purge routine can also produce a preliminary report of documents scheduled to be deleted, for review by the systems administrator or management prior to actual deletion, the company says.

The new File Management capability is included with LaserVault Reports. Organizations that are current with their LaserVault maintenance fees can get the new File Management capability free of charge. New licenses for LaserVault Reports start at about $7,500 for a three-user license. For more information, visit www.laservault.com.