OpenStore for File Server


Managing file servers
IT administrators face constant demands for more disk space and must deal with the permanent challenge of providing redundancy and backup strategies for virtually unlimited data volumes. However, limiting this wave of information by setting storage quotas may result in the loss of valuable information, or extensive (and expensive) duplication on individual workstations. In addition, regulatory initiatives in many industries require the long-term secure storage of business information.

OpenStore for File Server solves these problems, providing a transparent archiving solution that is tightly integrated into the Windows operating system. This powerful, easy-to-use application manages the contents of NTFS volumes under Windows 2000 and Windows 2003. Integrated with IBM DB2 Content Manager or IBM DB2 Content Manager OnDemand, OpenStore for File Server complements the IBM Enterprise Content Management offerings.

Fast & flexible archiving and retrieval
OpenStore for File Server significantly reduces the disk space required for file servers, as well as the effort and time required to administer and backup those servers. Millions of file objects can be stored on relatively inexpensive media such as tape libraries or optical media, as required for compliance reasons as well as inexpensive disk drives where these are suitable. From there, business content can be transparently retrieved and distributed in seconds. This saves time and money, promotes faster customer service, and enhances the reliability of business processes.

Complying with retention rules
In several industries, data retention rules dictate the long-term storage of various types of business information on non-erasable media. For example, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requires brokers and dealers to apply strict retention rules to all documentation and communication related to business transactions.

To avoid fines or other penalties resulting from non-compliance, businesses must define which documents and correspondence have to be kept. With OpenStore for File Server, these retention rules can be easily applied to manage critical data stored on Windows file servers.

Transparency for the user
With traditional solutions, end-user access to the archived data typically requires administrator intervention and complex, time consuming restore procedures.

With OpenStore for File Server, users can directly and transparently access any archived file from their normal Windows environment. For a user, no difference exists between a file physically located on a file server and a archived file. When a user or an application opens a archived file, it is automatically recalled from the backend repository and is made available for all edit and update functions.

Efficient and easy administration
Administrators can easily set up archiving policies, and OpenStore for File Server automatically executes the policies at predefined times, without requiring any end-user knowledge or intervention.

The administration of OpenStore for File Server does not require knowledge of the backend repository. The administration tool for OpenStore for File Server is a state of the art Windows application that provides Windows administrators with a familiar standard interface.
Using this interface:

•	Archives can be organized as logical groups of files from directories and subdirectories
•	File groups and file types (extensions) may be included and/or excluded
•	Files may be included and excluded based on the date of creation, modification and last access
•	Files may be included and excluded based on the size of files.
•	Archives may refer to a complete disk volume or any part of a directory structure

Data Migration and Archiving
Running in default mode OpenStore for FileServer replaces each archived file by a stub containing a pointer to the archive in which this object is stored. However, an administrator may override this option for specific archiving jobs by specifying that the original data is either kept on disk or completely deleted. This can be useful in particular in a Content Management environment, where files and other types of content are organized by business-related item groups or index classes and users have access to this repository via a specific client or application. These different post-archiving options increase the usefulness of the solution in different application scenarios and provide features to cope with data retention requirements.

Versioning
As OpenStore for FileServer provides enhanced functions for retention requirements and auditing purposes, the product can keep any number of versions of a file in the repository and provides administrator functions to retrieve any of these versions. The basic functionality of user transparency is not affected by this added value as a user-initiated recall of a file is always directed to the latest version.

Search and Retrieve
Last but not least, search and retrieve options are available to the OpenStore for FileServer administrator for archived files. Selected files or complete file spaces can be searched using SQL-like criteria and selected files or the complete results of a search can be retrieved either to their original location in the file system or to a different location in the file system.

Lifecycle Management
In addition use of the IBM TotalStorage DR550 system in conjunction with IBM Content Manager can provide the means to apply retention rules to data stored on Windows file servers. The synergy of the physical view of data with the logical view of information from Content Management allows the use of the product in a broad range of application scenarios from classical Hierarchical Storage Management to industry specific data retention requirements - contributing to a comprehensive strategy for Information Lifecycle Management.