CommVault has expanded the archiving features in its Simpana storage management product. It has also increased the number of platforms the software supports.
The latest iteration of the software suite now includes self-service search and legal discovery to give compliance officers, auditors and legal staff quick access to archives as well as all data types and repositories, including backups. Search results can be restricted based on an organisation's security policy. It claimed legal searches would now also take "seconds rather than hours or days".
The software has added support for electronic discovery, compliance and mailbox management of Lotus Domino, along with support for Microsoft SharePoint and expanded coverage of Exchange. There is also a new PST archiving tool which allows discovery, importing and optionally deleting Outlook PST files for storage savings.
Michael Ivanov, senior director and head of CommVault's Archive Centre of Excellence said that the new features of the software would allow businesses to manage storage growth more effectively "while mitigating risk and reducing the costs associated with litigation."
"Responding to legal action is becoming an increasingly costly and complex endeavour," he said.
Analysts said that as content is increasingly located in multiple disparate storage systems within organisations; companies need to find a way of allowing storage to be inspected.
"Companies must find a way to align all of these data types and repositories in order to optimise all aspects of data management and support compliant records retention and legal holds," said Vivian Tero, compliance infrastructure senior research analyst at IDC.
Tero said that products that take a singular approach to information management are more likely to ensure that data is managed according to corporate policy.
"Customers can therefore focus on ensuring relevant information is being discovered upfront and not after the fact," said Tero.
