This guide details the process and requirements to ensure a smooth, efficient, and successful import of historical email data. As an existing Mimecast customer, this is relevant if you are either planning to or are already archiving your emails. Legacy Archive Data Management is the process that allows you to import historical email data into your Mimecast archive. In this way, users can search through email data that was processed before Mimecast had been implemented for the organization.
Process Overview
| Step | Process | Description | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1: Collection of legacy data | Export and Collect Data | The data is collected from your environment using the guidelines specified for accepted formats, types, and sizes. Considering the advantages of grouping the data and following the file naming and folder structure conventions is important. View the related article for additional information on de-duplication and common export methods. The Legacy Archive Data Management team will then provide the appropriate transfer information for your Ingestion, and you can transfer the data to Mimecast. | Customer |
| Step 2: Legacy Archive Data Management | Import Data | Mimecast prepares to process and import the received data and checks the information received for accuracy. | Legacy Archive Data Management Team |
| Step 3: Verification | Complete and Verify | You will be notified once the import is complete and requested to verify that all information is now available to users. | Customer |
For assistance with collecting your historical data, contact your Mimecast representative to inquire about our Intelligent Data Migration (ID) service.
General Terminology
The following terms will be used throughout this guide:
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| PU | Per User: Messages within PST file(s) or EML folder(s) are grouped by each individual user that should have access to them. |
| NPU | Not Per User: Messages within PST file(s) or EML folder(s) are not grouped per user but are typically grouped by date and are often journal data. |
| SJF | Standard Journal Format: A standard copy of a journaled message (these messages do not include the members of groups or BCC recipients). |
| EJF | Envelope Journal Format: A journaled message that contains all sender and recipient details, including all SMTP addresses, BCCs, and recipients distribution list members. The original message is attached to the envelope message. |
| Journal Date | The specific date that Mimecast was archiving all of your emails, which includes inbound, outbound, and internal emails (using Journaling). This is commonly the date defined as the ingestion cutoff date. |
| Cut-off Date | Messages dated later than this date are not Ingested to reduce duplication of messages in the archive. |
| Mailbox Owner | An account that must have access to all messages within PU PSTs or PU EML folders. |
| Mimecast account | The account PU data is being ingested into which is typically their current full primary SMTP email address which they send and receive emails on and log onto Mimecast to view their messages. |
| Single Instance | One copy of an item, irrespective of whether it contains multiple recipients. |
| LEDN | Legacy Exchange distinguished names commonly known as exchange address. |
| AD | Active Directory. |
Deduplication
Duplicates within any data being ingested at any time, within the one process or across multiple processes at different times, will be deduplicated (if containing the same message ID and sent date). However, if an item is already archived via journaling or external email flow through Mimecast, another copy being ingested will duplicate within the archive causing two copies to exist in the archive.
Provided PU data typically contains duplicate copies across multiple PU PST files and EML folders of messages with multiple internal recipients. This is because the same message is exported to, or is located in each user's own PU PST.
PST Folder Paths
Folder paths of all messages extracted from PU PSTs only are recorded by default. This information is then imported into each user's Mimecast account for customers that have subscribed to the Folder Sync feature. Alternatively, this information is retained and can be applied in the future if the feature is subsequently purchased. Contact your Account Manager if you wish to subscribe to this service, as the recorded information can be simply imported once subscribed to imported and MSE synced items will be displayed in the same folder structure exactly as they were in the provided PSTs and mailbox root respectively. The root of the mailbox and the imported PST is mapped to the Exchange Folders. This includes folders located directly under the PST root, Deleted Items, Drafts, Tasks, Calendar Folders, etc.
- Imported messages and folders cannot be moved directly within Mimecast Exchange Folders, however MSE Folder Sync will display the new location of any that are moved within the user's live mailbox.
- Folder paths of messages are not recorded from NPU PSTs or any EMLs provided.
| Examples | |
|---|---|
| Provided within PST for import: | {PST1 Root}\subfolder 1\Message 6 {PST2 Root}\inbox\subfolder 1\Message 1 {PST3 Root}\inbox\subfolder 2\subfolder 3\Message3 |
| MSE synced: | {Mailbox Root}\subfolder 1\Message 5 {Mailbox Root}\inbox\subfolder 1\Message 2 {Mailbox Root}\inbox\subfolder1\subfolder3\Message4 |
| Displayed in Mimecast Exchange folders within Mime- cast for Outlook and Mimecast Personal Portal: | {Exchange folders root}\subfolder 1\Message 5\Message 6 {Exchange folders root}\inbox\subfolder 1\Message 1\ Message 2 {Exchange folders root}\inbox\subfolder 2\subfolder 3\Message 3\Message 4 |
To view a message in its folder, ensure Full Folder View within Mimecast Personal Portal is activated.
Mimecast Synchronization Engine (MSE) Folder Sync service records the path of the folder containing a message within the users Exchange mailbox only, and displays it under Exchange Folders within Mimecast for Outlook and Mimecast Personal Portal where imported items are also displayed.
Once Full Folder View is activated in Mimecast Personal Portal, the following items will now be displayed in their folders:
- Standard messages that were provided in PU PSTs which were imported
- Standard messages archived since Mimecast has been processing all your emails and the Folder Sync component of MSE has been recording their folder information from within the mailbox. This includes any items subsequently deleted.
Comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.