Review: Tangent's DataCove Email Archiving Solution
Storage, and lots of it, has become relatively cheap. Retaining files and folders on network servers usually does not pose much of an issue. However, more strategic measures are called for when dealing with the archiving and retrieval of database files.
Database files can, of course, grow at exponential rates. E-mail databases for example, often comprise the largest aggregation of data in an enterprise. Since e-mail has become the primary conduit for corporate communications, the ability to archive and retrieve e-mail is often imperative.
Burlingame, Calif.-based Tangent recently offered the Test Center's reviewers a look at their e-mail archival solution, DataCove, an appliance designed to help with legal e-discovery requirements.
For a solution that covers the often-complex worlds of compliancy and e-discovery, DataCove was, in contrast, a snap to set up. The appliance is by default DHCP-enabled, and static networking information can be added.
Some configuration of the e-mail server happens next. For testing, DataCove was set to archive against Exchange 2007. Journaling has to be enabled in Exchange. A dedicated account for journaling was created and that account was given permissions to the mailbox store. IMAP4 also must be enabled for DataCove to communicate with the server. Login authentication was set to plaintext.
Finally, the DataCove Web management interface installation and configuration walkthrough was done.
The entire setup process took less than 20 minutes. The Web management interface is neatly arranged and easy to navigate. An administrator can perform a search against all e-mails based on various criteria: date, sender, recipient, subject, attachment or free-range text. Searches can be saved and scheduled for future runs. Users can also perform searches against archived e-mails from their e-mail client. DataCove allows for really granular control of what users and groups can search on, and what actions they can take on that searched data.
The archival abilities are sophisticated, yet once again easy to configure. E-mail is saved to the appliance's hard drive and then archived to tape. The retention period for data residing on the drive can extend from three months to "forever." Purges can be set up according to a defined schedule, and critical e-mail data can be excluded completely from purging.
The DataCove appliance comes in different hardware configurations, tailored to the size of the business. The lower-end appliance supports up to 700 users, has a 320-GB SATA drive with RAID 1 and 1-GB memory. The highest-end model supports up to 15,000 users and has a 1-TB/7-TB SAS drive with RAID 6. All of the models feature 256-bit AES encryption and SONY AIT WORM tape drives. The lower-end version lists at $5,107. Tangent offers a free 30-day evaluation of the device.
Supported e-mail platforms include Exchange, Lotus Notes, Novell GroupWise and any IMAP- or POP3-based server.
Tangent has a generous partner program, which includes marketing assistance, free technical support and discounted pricing. For VARs, particularly those specializing in regulations, the DataCove is a product that is cost-effective, and a great tool to help customers meet compliance standards.