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Are PST Files Right for You?

Jessica Bakkers – Waterford Technologies You have heard it time and time again that the use of PST files is generally not

Jessica Bakkers – Waterford Technologies

You have heard it time and time again that the use of PST files is generally not recommended. More often than not, you have heard this from a company that specializes in email archiving. To be fair, there are some benefits of using PSTs:

  • Email servers will avoid maxing out on their mailbox quotas
  • Users can easily create their own PST files without the assistance of IT
  • PST files are stored locally on the user’s computer which allows them offline access to their email data.

The main challenges that can be found with PST files are:

  • IT loses access to the data and control over how and where it is stored
  • While space is being saved on the email server, multiple or duplicate PSTs will weigh heavy on the file server causing a loss of space and low performance
  • Permanent loss of data can be a result of a corrupt PST file
  • PSTs can be stored on local machines (ex: users’ laptops), which leaves company information available outside of the organization
  • eDiscovery requests may be difficult to fulfill due to users tampering with PST files, large amount of IT personnel time to locate PST for legal purpose, etc.

Should Your Organization Use PSTs?

If your organization is small enough, PST files may work for you. However, it is important that any business, no matter the size, take the time to determine if the benefits of PST files outweigh the considerable risks and drawbacks.

If you would like to determine whether  an email archiving solution is right for your business, get in touch with the team from Waterford Technologies by clicking here. We can offer you a free no-commitment demo of our solution and show you how your business can benefit from our email archiving solution MailMeter.