RenewData Developed ‘Single-Pass’ Technology for Processing Backup Tapes

RenewData, a provider of e-discovery and electronically stored information risk management (ESIRM(TM)) services, announced it has developed a "single-pass" technology for processing backup tapes to better support its clients for discovery and risk management of ESI. The patent-pending "single-pass" backup tape processing technology allows files that have been segmented across more than one backup tape to be read as a whole without having to process each tape in their original sequence or read tapes more than once. It also allows processing of orphan tapes that may have originally been part of a sequence of tapes that no longer exist.

In recent years, the need for corporations to gain more visibility into their tape libraries has increased, as has the volume of tapes that ultimately need to be processed in the wake of discovery orders. This growing need is apparent, considering RenewData has witnessed a 300% increase in the number of backup tapes processed at their facility since 2004. "With the heightened need to identify information on backup tapes through the discovery process quickly, we see the need to process increasingly larger volumes of backup tapes to continue," said Vivian Tero, Research Manager, Compliance Infrastructure, IDC. "Renew Data’s ‘single-pass’ processing technology is intended to address a need among corporations to turn around massive volumes of tape data quickly and efficiently, thus enhancing their ability to meet the eDiscovery deadlines."

While backup tapes were originally intended for near term recovery from full system failures, today they are often retained for long periods of time and have become de facto archives, albeit archives with duplicative and often outdated or obsolete data. Generally, there is little information beyond a date and server name to identify the content. This problem is compounded when the tapes have been inherited from other companies as a result of a merger or acquisition. If a discovery order compels production of evidence from these tapes, retrieving data from them can be a complicated and time-consuming ordeal, particularly if there are tapes missing from a backup sequence. With the addition of this innovative approach from RenewData, the time needed to process this information decreases, thereby allowing clients to gain access to crucial ESI more quickly and efficiently.

"The new ‘single-pass’ tape processing technology is a testament to our team of engineers, and it demonstrates that RenewData is leading the market in ESI discovery and management services," said Ellery Buchanan, CEO of RenewData. "At RenewData, we are constantly working to provide our clients with the highest level of service in the market to help them address current litigation and to be prepared for future proceedings."

Development of this new technology came about as RenewData began receiving increasingly larger quantities of backup tapes from clients in recent years, and the company’s engineers recognized the need for a more efficient way to process them. With ‘single-pass’ processing, RenewData removes the need to catalog all tapes in a given set before they are able to be processed, and this innovation also allows RenewData to process partial data from orphan tapes or incomplete sets — removing the burden on clients to locate all backup tapes in a set before starting the e-discovery process. Now, RenewData can process any tape in any order and delve into the content immediately. This allows for a reduction in labor costs, dramatically decreases the overall processing time, and alleviates much of the burden on clients when trying to locate, identify, and sort through expansive tape inventories. In addition, this quicker turnaround can help corporations more readily comply with the amended Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which require parties to provide a description of ESI to the other party involved and that both parties ‘meet-and-confer’ to discuss issues related to the discovery of ESI.

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