Configuring archive stores management

Through the GFI MailArchiver Archive Stores Management feature, you can set up a queue of new archive stores that GFI MailArchiver will start archiving to according to the schedule you configure.

This feature is useful because it allows you to:

1. Keep the active archive store size under control, by configuring GFI MailArchiver to start archiving to a new archive store every quarter, for example.

2. Create archive stores for each quarter or year, for example, so that you can better manage which archive stores you want to allow network users to browse and search.

To configure archive stores management, follow these steps:

1. Load the GFI MailArchiver configuration as shown in the `Introduction to the Configuration' section earlier in this chapter.

2. Click on the GFI MailArchiver } Configuration } Archive Stores Management node, in the left navigation pane.

Screenshot 52 - Archive Stores Management

3. You now need to create a queue of archive stores, which GFI MailArchiver will start archiving to, according to the schedule you will setup up later on. To add an archive store to the queue, click Add Archive Store.

4. Use the Archive Store Wizard as outlined in one of the following sections earlier in this chapter, depending on the type of archive store you want to create.

Configuring an archive store based on Microsoft SQL Server
Configuring an archive store based on Microsoft SQL Server and file system
Configuring an archive store based on GFI MailArchiver (Firebird) database and file system

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 above to add as many archive stores to the queue as you want.

NOTE: When adding archive stores to the queue, make sure you always select a new database backend. This is important since if you choose the same database for different archive stores in the queue, you would end up with emails from different periods in the same archive store, which would be confusing for both the users who search and browse the emails, as well as for performing administrative tasks on the archive store.

Screenshot 53 - Archive stores added to the queue

6. You now need to configure the schedule that controls when GFI MailArchiver will start archiving to the archive stores in the queue. To enable the archive stores management feature and configure the schedule, select the Enable the swap archive store schedule check box.

7. From the Start schedule on lists, select when you want the first archive store in the table to become active. For example, if you want to start archiving to the first archive store in the table from the beginning of the year 2007, select January and 2007 from the list.

8. Next, you need to specify how often you want GFI MailArchiver to switch to a new archive store from the table. For example, if you want to use a new archive store every quarter, type 3 in the Swap archive store every box.

9. Notice that the Start Archiving to on column shows when GFI MailArchiver will start archiving to each archive store in the queue. Click Save Settings.

NOTE 1: GFI MailArchiver lists the archive stores in the table in Start archiving to on date order. The archive store listed on top is the one that GFI MailArchiver will start archiving to first according to the schedule, followed by the one beneath it and so on.

NOTE 2: Network users cannot browse and search the archive stores listed in the Archive Stores Management page, even though the corresponding row under the User Browsing Allowed column is checked. The User Browsing Allowed column in the Archive Stores Management page shows you whether the network users will be able to browse and search the archive store, once GFI MailArchiver starts archiving to it and thus becomes active.

Screenshot 54 - Archive Stores Management schedule configured

Five days before GFI MailArchiver starts archiving to the next archive store in the queue, it will test the archive store settings. GFI MailArchiver will then send a notification email, to the administrator's email address you configured in the General Settings node, to inform you whether the test was successful or not.

If the archive store settings failed the test, GFI MailArchiver will inactivate the schedule. You must then check why the first archive store in the queue failed and after you fix the problem re-activate the schedule.

When GFI MailArchiver starts archiving to a new archive store according to the schedule you configure, the following actions take place:

GFI MailArchiver will remove the archive store from the Archive Stores Management list and move it to the Archive Stores list.
GFI MailArchiver will send a notification email, to the administrator's email address you configured in the General Settings node.
GFI MailArchiver will check that there are more archive stores in the queue, so that when the time comes for GFI MailArchiver to use a new archive store, one is actually available in the queue. If there are no more archive stores configured in the queue, GFI MailArchiver will inform you of this in the notification email and disable the schedule.

Changing the priority of the archive stores in the queue

If you want to modify the priority of a particular archive store in the archive stores management queue, so that GFI MailArchiver starts archiving to the archive store before or after another archive store, follow these steps:

1. Load the GFI MailArchiver configuration as shown in the `Introduction to the Configuration' section earlier in this chapter.

2. Click on the GFI MailArchiver } Configuration } Archive Stores Management node, in the left navigation pane.

3. Click the button or button to the left of the archive store to raise or lower the archive store priority respectively.

4. Repeat step 3 until all the archive stores are in the priority you want. Check the Start archiving to on column to make sure.

5. Click Save Settings.

Re-configuring the schedule settings

If you want to re-configure the schedule settings, follow these steps:

1. Load the GFI MailArchiver configuration as shown in the `Introduction to the Configuration' section earlier in this chapter.

2. Click on the GFI MailArchiver } Configuration } Archive Stores Management node, in the left navigation pane.

3. Modify the Start schedule on and Swap archive store every settings and then click Save Settings.