Mapping: The Basis of Information Management

In this blog I usually cut right to the e-discovery chase. However, e-discovery does not exist in a vacuum but is one of several business processes that depend on information visibility. Typical related processes include compliance, internal governance, risk management and storage management. The universal theme controlling them and e-discovery is information management: Know what information you have, know where it is, and know how you can use it.

The foundation of this knowledge is a dynamic and actionable map of collected electronically stored information (ESI). It may be called a map or table of contents or index (just don't call it late for dinner). The map is an automated table of contents of electronic data that is searchable, visual and reportable. This indexed listing of files should include the whole gamut of electronic records in the enterprise including email and file servers, archives, desktops and laptops and remote locations.

#1: Dynamically updated. Note the dynamically part -- this is not a manual mapping. Manual mapping of corporate data is insane. Either you'll only map a very few data sources because the updates take so long, or you (or rather your consultants) will do a massive map of multiple data sources and find that it's out of date in a month. Dynamic technology replaces manual efforts to automate, update and react to the map. Visual views and reports allow end-users to locate and manage the data they need.

#2: Searchable. In order to serve business needs -- e-discovery, compliance and storage/retention management -- the map must also be searchable. For example, the mapping software enables Legal to quickly search ESI for 25 specific search terms. The index searches across many storage locations to return the search term results. Legal doesn't have to guess who might own the data and ask the custodian to search -- it's already done. Now they are ready to review the collected files matching those search terms. If they practice software-enabled review -- and they should -- they can export the collected data into their review platform.

#3: Actionable. Mapping software doesn't just search through electronic records, it also allows IT to efficiently manage those using automated policies. For example, IT can direct the software to automatically identify files that are older than one month existing on the primary storage array. Policies can automatically migrate the aged data to cheaper secondary storage. This saves money by freeing up room and processing overhead on primary storage. IT can apply many policies for migration, retention, deletion, access settings, and more.

There are products out there that provide actionable maps of ESI, some tailored to different business processes such as e-discovery, compliance and/or retention management. The more processes a single product serves the better. Look for products that: 1) hook into multiple data applications (email, enterprise content management, file systems, etc.), 2) are auditable and reportable, 3) dynamically upgrade contents, and 4) support multiple business processes like e-discovery, compliance and retention management.

Christine Taylor, an analyst with the Taneja Group, has more than a decade of experience in covering the IT and communications industries. She has written extensively on the role of technology in e-discovery, compliance and governance, and information management.

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