File Archiver - Move or "Stub" files to Lower Cost Storage

Optimize Your File Servers!

• Archive from Expensive to Low Cost Storage - Understand what you have. View your files by server, by owner, by size, by type, by name, etc. to pinpoint the usage and abuse of your storage. Find old files, unneeded files, duplicate files, and give information to users that abuse their space allocation.
  
• Automatic Storage Optimization - Reclaim storage space without disrupting users. Set up policies to automatically remove older files from file servers and replace them with an intelligent shortcut "stub" that invisibly retrieves the original file from the archive.
  

File Archiving Policy Examples

• Delete all MP3s before doing backups
• Archive and stub all files with modified date greater than two years
• Archive and stub all .JPG, .PPT, .BMP, .GIF, .TIF, .PDF, and .PSD files in the Marketing Department with created date greater than six months
• Archive and delete all files with created date greater than ten years

Lower Storage Costs

If you have two terabytes of expensive server storage where 50% of the data is never or rarely accessed, using File Archiver to manage that space can gain you a terabyte in its first archiving process. You can take advantage of SAN devices easily and immediately without changing any applications. File Archiver can move files from expensive RAID storage to your SAN with a simple policy rule.

Lower Storage Management Time

File Archiver removes the need for endless housekeeping by IT professionals trying to relieve the pressure of disk storage filling up. File Archiver runs automatically at regular intervals, actively and transparently searching for candidate files to delete, copy, archive, or "stub" that meet your policies.

Save IT Time - Easily Restore Deleted Files or Folders

If you need to recover and restore a file that was accidently deleted or modified in error, you can search for the file in File Archiver and restore the file or even a whole folder from the archive. File Archiver can also maintain versions of a file. It will archive multiple copies (as many as you specify) and allow you to choose which version to restore.

Lower Cost Disaster Recovery

File Archiver can copy files to lower cost storage and easily restore a file or folder from the archive. If you backup expensive storage to an offsite location or to the cloud, use File Archiver stubbing to lower your costs!

Use File Archiver to shrink your file servers

Every storage admin tells us how their server storage space is out of control. File servers get filled up with duplicates, old files, graphics, document versions, backups, ex-employees' data, and "some day I'll get around to it" folders.

Our plan was to get rid of duplicates, old files, and files that were no longer needed - without having to change anything for our users.

Before:

A single policy saves hundreds of gigabytes of space

Here's the policy: "Archive and stub any file with a modified date over two years old."

After:

Overnight we saved 80% of the size of our file server.

How File Archiver Works

File Archiver is a software application that runs on a Windows Server (real or virtual) with small Agent software that runs on your file servers (or with access to your network servers). The agents gather file information on your servers, execute policies and retrieve files from the archive. You can set up policies by any folder path(s) on your file servers (WatchPoints). The agents run policies according to a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule and take actions - archive and stub files (replace files with shortcuts), just archive a file, or delete a file.

All metadata information on files (dates, security, ownership, etc.) are maintained in the archive database.

Archived files are de-duplicated, compressed, encrypted, given GUID names then stored in Archive Volumes (Windows folders) that can be located on any low cost, storage device - local disk, SAN, NAS, USB, etc. The Archive Volumes are managed to a size of 4G. New ones are created automatically as needed. Archive Volumes only need to be backed up once when they are full and closed (contents don't change).

There are two types of stubs:

• Dynamic (for local file servers and SAN devices) - when a user clicks on a file the File Archiver agent intercepts the request and retrieves the file from the archive and streams back to its original location and opens it for the user or application.
• OnDemand (for network attached storage - NAS devices) - when a user clicks on a file it is opened through a web services link to the user. The file is not brought back to its original location.

If a user changes an archived file, the original is kept intact and the new file is managed according to the policies.

File Archiver takes the file metadata information and stores it in a SQL database. For size estimating, one million files takes about one gigabyte of SQL storage space.

Backup and anti-virus software scans are automatically excluded from retrieving files from the archive.

Pricing

File Archiver permanent licensing includes the license for File Analyzer and a full policy engine for data management. There is flexible pricing by:

• File server - unlimited storage
• Terabyte - unlimited agents
• User - unlimited servers and storage

Annual Maintenance Fee: includes technical support
(email - live chat - phone), updates, upgrades, and fixes.

Remote Installation Assistance: WebEx session by our technical support team

• Validate completion of the pre-requisites including permissions and database connectivity
• Installation of the File Archiver server and agents - assist you with wizards
• Set up initial policies and schedules - review best practices

 

File Archiver Resources

View a 3 minute demonstration.

FREE SSE Reporting Tool

File Archiver Datasheet - How to Free Up Hundreds of Gigabytes of Storage!