Archiving Email

Introduction

Emails can be archived from the mailboxes of email servers such as Microsoft Exchange as well as from the locally installed email clients of the users.

All archiving tasks can be performed manually or automatically according to a schedule.

Various Archiving Features

Archiving emails from Microsoft Outlook and other email clients
As opposed to all other archiving features, it is imperative that the MailStore Client software is installed on the user computers when archiving emails from these users' email applications.

Once the archiving task is set up, it can be started manually by the user or executed automatically according to a schedule any number of times. Additional information about this topic is available in the chapter Archiving Emails from Outlook, Thunderbird and Other Applications.

Archiving Outlook PST and other files (file import)
As administrator, you can archive Microsoft Outlook PST and other files, such as emails in .eml format, for other MailStore users. Additional information about these topics is available in chapters Archiving Outlook PST Files Directly and Archiving Emails from External Systems (File Import).

Archiving Exchange mailboxes and public folders
With MailStore, already existing Exchange mailboxes as well as public folders can be archived. You have the option to archive individual, multiple or all mailboxes in one step. Additional information about this topic is available in chapter MailStore and Microsoft Exchange.

Archiving server mailboxes
In addition to Microsoft Exchange server mailboxes, the mailboxes of other email servers can be archived using IMAP or POP3 protocols. These include web-based mailboxes such as Google Mail or Web.de. Additional information about this topic is available in the chapter Archiving Server Mailboxes.

Archiving multidrop mailboxes
If you have a single multidrop mailbox for your domain on the ISP's mailserver or your current mailserver is able to deliver copies of all sent and received emails to another mailbox, MailStore is able to fetch all emails from such multidrop mailboxes and put them into the corresponding user's archive. Additional information about this topic is available in the chapter Archiving Multidrop IMAP Mailboxes.

Archiving emails directly upon sending and receiving
MailStore can archive the entire incoming and outgoing email traffic automatically. If an Exchange server is available, this can be done through its Envelope Journaling function. In all other system environments, the MailStore proxy server can be used. The MailStore proxy server is available to all MailStore Server customers free of charge. Additional information about this topic is available in the chapter Archiving Incoming and Outgoing Emails Directly.

Performance Features of the Archiving Process

• Emails are archived in facsimile and MIME compatible.
• During the archiving process, file attachments are compressed automatically using a sophisticated algorithm.
• MailStore stores identical file attachments only once in the archive (single-instance storage).
• During the archiving process, emails and file attachments are automatically indexed for a full-text search.
• The file attachments to be indexed can be free defined.

Working with Archiving Profiles

In MailStore, every archiving task is stored as an archiving profile. The archiving process is started by executing such a profile.

Such an archiving profile could contain the following information:

• WHAT: Mailbox [email protected]
• FROM: Exchange server EXCHANGE01
• TO (Target archive in MailStore): peter.berten
• SCOPE: All folders except drafts
• DELETION RULE: Delete all archived emails older than 3 month from the Microsoft Exchange mailbox.

Creating an Archiving Profile

• Start MailStore Client and click on Archive Email to create and execute an archiving profile.
• In the upper area of the application window, select the source from which the emails are to be archived (e.g. Microsoft Outlook). A wizard opens.
• At the first steps of the wizard, several different settings can be specified for the archiving profile. These include the selection of folders (e.g. "Inbox") and deletion rules (by default, no emails are deleted).
• Please note: If you are logged on to MailStore Server as administrator, you will be prompted for the target archive (user archive), in which the emails are to be stored. If logged on as regular user, the corresponding user archive will be used automatically.
• At the last step, a name for the archiving profile can be specified. After clicking Finish, the archiving profile will be listed under Saved Settings (Profiles) and can be run immediately, if desired.

Starting the Archiving Process

From the list under Saved Settings (Profiles), select the archiving profile to be executed and click on Run.

After the archiving process has been executed, a protocol appears. It contains information about the volume of emails that have been archived as well as any errors that may have occurred.

In addition to being executed manually, archiving profiles can also be run automatically according to a schedule. Simply right-click on an existing profile and select Schedule Task. Additional information about this topic is available in chapter Automating the Archiving Process.

Executing Archiving Profiles Multiple Times

Any archiving profile can be run any number of times without concern. MailStore only archives emails that are not yet stored in the target archive (the specified user archive). MailStore also detects if any emails were moved to a different folder within the source application (e.g. Microsoft Outlook) and repeats such moves in MailStore accordingly.

Editing Archiving Profiles

To edit an existing archiving profile, right-click on the profile and select Properties. Make any desired changes and click on OK to save the new settings.

Deleting Archiving Profiles

If no longer needed, archiving profiles can be deleted. This has no effect on the emails that have already been archived. They remain in the archive. Right-click on the profile to be deleted and select Delete. A confirmation prompt appears; click on OK.

Managing and Executing the Archiving Profiles of Other Users

As MailStore administrator (admin), the archiving profiles created by other users for themselves can be managed as well. Simply select the checkbox Show Profiles of All Users in the lower left corner of the screen. Now the profiles can be edited, executed or deleted as if they were your own.

Exception: Executing the archiving profiles for Microsoft Outlook and other email clients for other users Generally, it is sensible to execute these profiles exclusively on the computer on which the corresponding application is installed. More precisely: If Mr. Brown has an archiving profile for Microsoft Outlook, it can be viewed and edited by the administrator through MailStore Client. However, executing this profile only makes sense if it is run using the MailStore Client that is installed on Mr. Brown's computer. This exception is only valid for Outlook, Outlook Express/Windows Live Mail, Thunderbird and Seamonkey.

Archiving Emails from Outlook, Thunderbird and Other Applications

Important notice: As opposed to all other archiving features, it is imperative that the MailStore Client software is installed on the user computer when archiving emails from Outlook, Thunderbird and other email applications.

Once the archiving task is set up, it can be started manually by the user or executed automatically according to a schedule any number of times. During this process, the emails are transferred by the MailStore Client of the user to the central MailStore Server for archiving.

Please note: If the user emails are accessible (e.g. on a network drive) to the MailStore administrator in form of individual PST files, they can be archived directly by the administrator. As opposed to archiving from Outlook, this can be done completely independently from the user and the user computer. Additional information about this topic is available in chapter Archiving Outlook PST Files Directly.

Supported Email Applications

MailStore supports archiving emails from various email applications, including:

• Microsoft Outlook 2000, XP, 2003, 2007
• Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0
• Microsoft Windows Mail (integrated in Windows Vista)
• Microsoft Windows Live Mail
• Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0, 1.5, 2.0
• Mozilla SeaMonkey 1.0

Even email applications not listed here can often be archived using the file system (EML) and MBOX import. Additional information is available in chapter Archiving Emails from External Systems (File Import).

Procedure

Setting up archiving processes for Outlook, Thunderbird and other email applications is done using archiving profiles. General information about archiving profiles is available in chapter Working with Archiving Profiles.

• Create a MailStore user account (if one does not already exist) for each user whose emails are to be archived and grant them the privileges to archive emails and to create, edit and delete archiving profiles. Additional information is available in chapter User Management.
• Install the MailStore Client software on the corresponding user computers.
• Ask each user to log on to MailStore Server using their MailStore Client. Under Archive Email, a new archiving profile can be created for each user. In the upper area of the application window, select the source from which the emails are to be archived (e.g. Microsoft Outlook).
• A wizard opens. At the first steps of the wizard, several settings can be specified for the archiving profile. These include the selection of the folders (e.g. "Inbox") and deletion rules (by default, no emails are deleted). An explanation of these settings can be found later on in this chapter under "Settings for Archiving Profiles".
• If logged on to MailStore Server as administrator, the target archive can be specified at the next step of the wizard. Select the archive of the user whose computer is currently being used.
• At the last step, a name for the archiving profile can be specified. After clicking Finish, the archiving profile will be listed under Saved Settings (Profiles) and can be run immediately, if desired.

Starting the Archiving Process

Starting the archiving process manually
On the start page of MailStore Client, click on Archive Email and from the list under Saved Settings (Profiles), select the appropriate archiving profile. Click on Run. After the archiving process has been executed, a protocol appears. It contains information about the volume of emails that have been archived as well as any errors that may have occurred.

This process can be repeated by the user any number of times. MailStore only archives those emails that are not yet stored in the corresponding user archive. In addition, MailStore detects if emails within the source application (e.g. Microsoft Outlook) were moved to a different folder and repeats such moves in MailStore accordingly.

Automating the archiving process
In addition to being executed manually, archiving tasks can also be executed automatically according to a schedule. Simply right-click on an existing profile and select Schedule Task. Additional information about this topic is available in chapter Automating the Archiving Process.

Please note: As long as no deletion rules were specified upon creating the archiving profile, MailStore will never delete or otherwise modify emails in the source application (e.g. Microsoft Outlook).

Settings for Archiving Profiles

Upon creating or editing an archiving profile, different settings can be specified for the archiving task. Settings vary depending on the type of the email client selected (e.g. Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird).

Folders - Specify here, which folders (e.g. "Inbox") are to be archived. Additional information is available in chapter Archiving Specific Folders.

Filter - Also archive unread messages: By default, MailStore archives both read and unread emails. Clear the checkbox next to this text to exclude unread emails from the archiving process.

Delete - If desired, MailStore can automatically delete emails from the source application (e.g. Microsoft Outlook), after they have been archived successfully. Additional information is available in chapter Deleting Emails after Archiving.

Settings Available for Outlook Only

Archive Email Stored in your Local Outlook If multiple Outlook profiles exist, to which the user can log on to, the Outlook profile to be archived can be selected here.

Archive Email Stored in a PST File Select this option if MailStore is to access the PST file directly. This option is described in chapter Archiving Outlook PST Files Directly.

Setings Available for Mozilla Thunderbird Only

Profile: If multiple Thunderbird profiles exist, to which the user can log on to, the profile to be archived can be selected here. Alternatively, by using the Browse button, any directory containing Thunderbird data (e.g. from the portable version) not listed under Profile can be specified. Select the directory containing the file prefs.js.

Settings Available for Mozilla SeaMonkey Only

Profile: If multiple SeaMonkey profiles exist, to which the user can log on to, the profile to be archived can be selected here. Alternatively, by using the Browse button, any directory containing SeaMonkey data not listed under Profile can be specified. Select the directory containing the file prefs.js.

Archiving Outlook PST Files Directly

With MailStore, PST files can be archived directly. Compared with Archiving Emails from Outlook, this has the advantage that archiving tasks can be created and executed independently from users and user computers. Therefore, as administrator, you should be able to access the individual PST files of the users from your computer (by keeping them on a network drive, for example).

Please note: The computer used for archiving PST files through MailStore Client must have a version of Outlook installed that is compatible with the PST files selected. For example, to archive an Outlook 2007 PST file, the corresponding version of Outlook needs to be installed.

Setting up archiving processes for PST files is done using archiving profiles. General information about archiving profiles is available in chapter Working with Archiving Profiles.

For each PST file, please proceed as follows:

• Users can only archive their own PST files to their personal user archive. To archive the emails of other users, you have to be logged on to MailStore Client as MailStore administrator.
• In MailStore, click on Archive Email.
• From the list in the upper area of the window, select Microsoft Outlook to create a new archiving profile.
• The dialog window Archive Microsoft Outlook appears.

• As source, select Archive Email Stored in a PST File and specify the PST file to be archived. Click on Next.

Please note: If you work with an Outlook/Exchange environment, you get better results by first opening the existing PST file in Outlook and then using the Archive Email Stored in your Local Outlook option. This way you can ensure that all existing sender and recipient addresses are correctly archived.

• If needed, adjust the list of folders to be archived, the deletion rules and the filter.

• If logged on to MailStore Server as administrator, the target archive can be specified. Select the archive of the user for whom the PST file is to be archived.

• At the last step, a name for the new archiving profile can be specified. After clicking on Finish, the archiving profile will be listed under Saved Settings (Profiles) and can be run immediately, if desired.

Starting the Archiving Process

Starting the archiving process manually
On the start page of MailStore Client, click on Archive Email and from the list under Saved Settings (Profiles), select the appropriate archiving profile. Click on Run. After the archiving process has been executed, a protocol appears. It contains information about the volume of emails that have been archived, as well as any errors that may have occurred.

The archiving profile can be executed as often as desired. MailStore only archives those emails that are not yet stored in the archive. In addition, MailStore detects if emails within the PST file were moved to a different folder and repeats such moves in the archive accordingly.

Automating the archiving process
In addition to being executed manually, archiving tasks can also be executed automatically, according to a schedule. Simply right-click on an existing profile and select Schedule Task. Additional information about this topic is available in chapter Automating the Archiving Process.