The mail archive database is a Notes database, and can be accessed like any other Notes database. The views in a user's mail archive mirror the views in the mail file and includes all the folders that exist when mail is archived. So users can find and retrieve archived messages easily from within their archive database. When a document has one or more responses, the entire document hierarchy is archived.

You can also use archiving policy settings to define a document retention policy for your mail files. With document retention, you define the criteria for old documents, and then simply delete them from the mail database without archiving them.

If you choose not to include archiving policy settings in your policies, Notes users can still archive mail files using database archive settings in the Notes client.

How mail file archiving works

Mail file archiving is a three-step process that includes document selection, copying files to an archive database, and mail file cleanup.

• Document selection -- choosing which documents to archive based on activity and on folder selection. For example, you can define an old document as a one that has not been modified for 365 days. You can then archive all documents that match that criteria, or you can archive only documents in specific folders that match that criteria.
• Copying -- copying selected documents from the source mail file to an archive database destination.
• Mail file clean up -- reducing the size of the source mail file by deleting archived documents or reducing them in size. You can reduce the size of the document by first removing attachments, and then leaving only the header information or leaving the header information and a portion of the mail document.

When you use policies to manage archiving, you use either server-based archiving or client-based archiving. In either case you can archive to a server. The terms server-based or client-based refer to where the archiving process occurs, either on a server or on the client's workstation. If you choose to archive on a server, you must create a program document to run the Compact server task. If you choose client-based archiving, however, the workstation must be running in order to archive documents. If archiving is scheduled at a time during which the workstation is not running, archiving will not occur. You can archive mail files to the following:

• Server-based archiving -- Using this option, the mail server archives to the mail server itself, or to another server that you designate as the archive server.
• Client-based archiving -- Using this option the individual workstations process mail file archiving. Depending on where the mail file resides, either on a mail server or on their individual workstations, mail is archived to the mail server, a designated server, or to their local workstations.

An example of using policies to manage mail file archiving

Acme's administrator is happy to learn of policy-based archiving because of these issues with archiving mail files:

• Space is tight on the mail server.
• Acme needs a centralized archive server.
• Archiving cannot occur during peak work hours.
• End users must not be allowed to control their archive settings.
• Lotus Notes 7 clients will not be rolled out immediately.

• Archive settings are centrally managed and enforced by the administrator; users are prohibited from changing or creating archive settings.
• Server-based archiving is enabled from a mail server to a designated archive server.
• The designated archive server is a Domino 7 server so that policies can be enforced in a mixed environment.
• Archiving is scheduled to occur during off hours.
• Optionally, pruning (removing attachments and body of mail, but leaving header information intact) might be helpful, depending on how tight space is on the mail server.

Creating an archive policy settings document
Creating criteria for mail archiving
Creating a policy document

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