Email archiving or backup? Experts say both

The recent trend toward storing information in the cloud for convenience and security has extended to email. Field expert Martin Tassev told IT News Africa that many business owners remain unaware of the subtle differences between email archiving and email backup. This distinction is important, Tassev says, because businesses need both types of systems to keep their data secure.

Massev told the source that IT managers need to realize that email archiving involves the indexing and storage of data for retrieval any time, whereas email backup is a tool for disaster recovery. Backup creates snapshots of the entire email system at intervals, preserving it in case of a catastrophic deletion. Archiving is for everyday use instead of extreme contingencies. He emphasized that both are vital for businesses wishing to secure their information.

The email archiving world has seen shakeups in recent months, with strong interest from businesses and high-level acquisitions. In a recent interview with Vator News, Industry analyst Katey Wood suggested that this is no fluke.

"The governance of information is increasingly important to businesses," Wood told the source. "Companies need to simultaneously control and liberate information, letting employees freely access the information they need for maximum productivity without resulting in compliance risks to the organization."