Using Enterprise Vault (EV) with Hitachi Content Archive Platform (HCAP 2.x) Devices

Article: 100021147
Last Published: 2014-09-22
Ratings: 1 0
Product(s): Enterprise Vault

Solution

Hitachi Data Systems Content Archive Platform (HCAP 2.x) devices can be used by Enterprise Vault (EV) 6.0 or higher for the backend storage of archived content. This document only applies to EV 8.0 and newer.
Unlike some other storage devices, Hitachi Content Archive Platform (HCAP) is always in a write-once-read-many (WORM) mode. Once files are written to HCAP, they can not be altered nor renamed.  However, unless retention is set, they can be deleted.

HCAP also has the ability to enforce the retention (non-deletion) of emails, attachments, and other files at the storage layer. Retention policies can be set to a specific date by EV, which passes that retention value to HCAP which then enforces the retention policy of the object (file/email) at the storage layer level.  

Data retention in EV is controlled by policies known as Retention Categories. Retention Categories define how long an object is to be stored and whether the object should be deleted automatically at the expiry of the retention period.
Every object archived by Enterprise Vault has a Retention Category associated with it, be it the Default Retention Category or one defined by the EV Administrator. For further information please consult the Administrators Guide located, by default, within the EV installation directory.

HCAP Setup Notes:

  1. Enable CIFS protocol on HCAP
    1. EV communicates with HCAP as though it were a NAS (network attached storage) device, using the CIFS protocol. The HCAP System Administrator must enable the CIFS protocol on HCAP from the HCAP Admin GUI.
  2. Enable retention setting on HCAP.
  3. EV's integration with HCAP's Retention Policy mechanism must be enabled by the HCAP System Administrator from the HCAP Admin GUI.  From the Policy Tab, select Retention.  Ensure that the box labeled: "Synchronize POSIX atime values and object retention settings" is checked.
  4. Multiple partitions (HCAP and non-HCAP) in a vault store.
  5. It is not recommended that within a Vault Store, partitions pointing to HCAP and to non-HCAP devices be defined.

Data De-Duplication
HCAP and Enterprise Vault both have the ability to implement Data Deduplication (or Single Instance Store).  Both implement this feature by default.  For EV to manage this policy, there are no additional steps.  

To utilize HCAP Data De-duplication, the EV System Administrator should disable this feature at the Enterprise Vault level. If Sharing is disabled between all Vault Stores within a Vault Storage Group that have HCAP storage, then EV will not apply its SIS policy and HCAP will perform its own Data de-duplication.  Refer to the Enterprise Vault Administration Manuals for further information on Sharing within EV.

Compression
HCAP and Enterprise Vault both have the ability to implement. Both implement this feature by default. For EV to manage this policy, there are no additional steps.  

To utilize HCAP compression, the EV System Administrator should disable this feature at the Enterprise Vault level.

Refer to the EV Administration Manuals for further information on compression..

Configuration Steps

  1. On the EV server, create a new Vault Store Partition.
  2. Right click an existing Vault Store (or create a new Vault Store) and select New Partition.
  3. Give the Partition a name and description and click Next.
  4. For the Storage Type, select "HCAP Content Archive Platform" and click Next.
  5. Fill in (or Browse to) the UNC path to an existing Folder on HCAP.
    • Note: EV will not automatically create the folder path on HCAP
  6. There are 3 check boxes available on this page to manage the integration of EV with HCAP
  7. For EV's Retention policies to be integrated with HCAP's Retention Policies, check the "Device Stores Data in WORM mode" box.
    • If this box is left unchecked, Retention enforcement will be strictly at the Enterprise Vault software level.
  8. For HCAP to perform data compression, check the next two boxes:
    • Device performs data deduplication
    • Device performs data compression.  
      • Leave both these boxes unchecked if you wish Enterprise Vault to perform its own Data Compression
  9. If Data Compression is to be performed by EV, configure compression on HCAP to avoid compressing data beginning with the high level directories of EV.
  10. After confirming the Partition location, decide if you want Partition Rollover or not.  Normally, this is not advised for HCAP partitions.
  11. Confirm the creation of the Vault Store Partition.

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