PST FlightDeck

[Wayne_Humphrey]

A little more than a hundred years ago, the Wright brothers solved the technical problem of flying. The plane they constructed was only designed to carry a very small load over a very short distance - the reliability was appalling. 

A modern aircraft hardly reminds its pilots of the early days of air traffic. It is designed to enable flying as a business process for airline companies around the world.  It takes complexity out of the process, provides safety warnings and allows the pilots to concentrate on what really matters.

Now you can imagine why we have called our Enterprise Vault PST Migration add-on the "PST Flightdeck".

At a Glance

As much as a modern pilot needs to focus on the relevant issues, an administrator in a large enterprise must be able to complete various tasks in a very limited time frame.

Therefore the PST Flightdeck gives you complete control over the PST environment.

Just like a pilot you can control all relevant functions from a sophisticated dashboard.

Key Features

•  PST files are checked for problems before they go into the migration queue
•  Reports highlight the current project status
•  All user communication and training is automated
•  An optional end-user "buy-in" to corporate policies can be enforced
•  Server and network bandwidth limits can be set to optimize migration performance

Use Cases

Scenario 1: Checking for corrupt or problematic PST files

The PST Flightdeck allows you run a “Preflight check” against you PST files in order to identify PST files that can not be migrated without user or administrator intervention. 

This includes:

•  Password protected PSTs
•  Corrupt PSTs
•  Empty PSTs
•  “Orphaned PSTs” that cannot be matched against a mailbox or user

By knowing which files can be safely migrated and which ones need additional treatment, you can optimize the migration queue and reduce the number of errors during the migration.

Scenario 2: End user training and acceptance of the PST Migration policies

As PST Migrations involve important end-user data, many companies see a need to involve the end-user at some point during the process. Due to the strict privacy laws in some countries, the user’s buy-in is even legally required. With the PST Flightdeck, you can now automate this process and make sure your users are prepared for the upcoming PST migration.

This includes:

•  Sending of email notifications with links to the web-based training and policy management app
•  Resending of mails until the user successfully logs-in and completes the workflow
•  Online training for end-users, explaining the changes in the Outlook client and the impacts of the corporate retention policies
•  Display a customizable “E-Mail archiving and retention policy” that the user needs to accept or decline
•  Follow up “Declines” or Help requests

Scenario 3: End user selection and management of the PST migration

In many companies, PST files are the most important information repository for power users and knowledge workers. Often those employees manage their own PST environment by creating backup copies, moving private data to separate PSTs or sharing data with co-workers utilizing the Outlook personal folders.

PST Flightdeck can optionally add an end-user work flow that enables the user to select the relevant PSTs, authorize the migration and optionally delete backup-copies or PSTs that contain private information or data not suitable for corporate retention (jokes, newsletters).

A preview of the PSTs content helps the end-user to make informed decisions about what needs to be kept and what can be deleted. 

Of course all actions utilize the built-in reporting facility.

Scenario 4: Optimizing server load and bandwidth requirements

Large PST Migration projects normally require migrating data from multiple sites. No matter if you have to focus on the PSTs stored on remote user’s machines or if you have to ingest data from file-servers in remote locations – the process of transferring the data will always have an impact on your IT infrastructure. 

The PST Flightdeck introduces the concept of “PST sites” to EV and helps you defining the maximum bandwidth available to EV. This prevents Enterprise Vault from putting more files from distant locations in the queue than the network connection can handle. You can also set limits on the maximum server utilization, ensuring that defined service levels for searches and response times are being met.

Scenario 5: Full scale reporting and audits for each and every file

With EV, you have deployed the most advanced migration product available. Does the migration still seem like a black-box to you? 

The PST Flightdeck adds a full featured dashboard that shows you exactly where you are with your project. This is an essential tool that helps you to see issues, check performance and predict timescales. Customizable reports can be created that can be forwarded to other stakeholders in the project, showing the actual status, the progress over time and the number of remaining files. 

You’ll surely be asked about your project status - let the PST Flightdeck dashboard and reports speak for you…