1.2 Retain Functions

Retain has three fundamental functions:

  • Import data into Retain

  • Find data in Retain

  • Export data from Retain

1.2.1 Importing Data into Retain

After getting the Retain server up and running the next thing to do is to import data into Retain.

The Modules allow data to be dredged from live messaging systems.

There are also workstation tools for migrating offline data into Retain. These can be found under the Tools menu at the top-right of the Retain web console. These include the GroupWise Archive Migration Tool, the PST Importer and the Netmail and M+ to Retain Migration Utility.

Finding Data in Retain

Once data is in Retain you may need to find the data that has been archived. When you are browsing a mailbox, you are seeing the metadata of each message stored in the database. When you search in Retain, you are viewing the indexes that Retain has built to find things quickly. When you open a particular message, you are viewing the data as stored on disk.

Exporting Data from Retain

Within the web interface, you can use the checkboxes next to each message to select additional messages. Now you can select actions to take on the message or messages. A default user has rights to View and Save attachments, as well as Forward and Print Messages. As admin, you can also Restore messages (if you are on Exchange), Export to PDF, Delete messages. Other actions that can be taken are: set Litigation Hold, Confidential State (if the mailbox has multiple users with access) and Tags. Users and Groups can be given additional rights as needed.

If you are using Outlook, the Outlook plugin allows the user to search and download messages from Outlook itself. Retain becomes another folder in Outlook.

The above methods are good for dealing with small amounts of messages, but for dealing with large amounts of messages you will want to use Publisher, a workstation tool found under the Tools menu. You can save a search query in the Retain web console and then use it again when you log into Publisher or you can create the search query in Publisher. Publisher will download messages to the workstation, once the download is complete you use Viewer to read, search, redact and export the messages to PDF or PST.

Finally, when the message has reached the end of the data retention policy you would use Deletion Management to permanently remove messages from the archive.