From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Message-ID: <6e35c06204111719543e8d6657@mail.gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 19:54:37 -0800 From: Jack Johnson To: Fans of the OS Plan 9 from Bell Labs <9fans@cse.psu.edu> Subject: Re: [9fans] Plan 9 killer applications? In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit References: <6e35c06204111709526d79bbe3@mail.gmail.com> <6e35c062041117160648281cc8@mail.gmail.com> <42346.192.11.226.116.1100755965.squirrel@www.infernopark.com> Topicbox-Message-UUID: 06262aaa-eace-11e9-9e20-41e7f4b1d025 On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 15:56:05 -1000 (HST), Tim Newsham wrote: > So dont put the files in venti? Seems like the ideal mix is > venti for long-lived important documents and something else > for files that turn over more often or require a short lifetime. The problem with some of the document retention standards is the nebulous definition of what needs to be kept. For instance, where I live the state requires any documents that communicate daily schedules of state-funded employees or communications regarding policy or working/draft policy to be kept for (I think) three years. Because bureaucrats and not geeks set the standards, we're left wondering how often one should snapshot, say, calendar data in Exchange to ensure that transient changes in schedules are kept at a best-effort level to meet state standards. We archive all mail sent and received to alleviate the need to content-filter email for differing 3-, 5- or 7-year standards, just as many companies bound by the SEC now archive all instant message traffic regardless of content. The beauty of a system like venti is that the minimal amount of space is used for redundant data regardless of name, organizational change or timestamp, and it relieves the archiver from deciding what is important and what isn't. Though copyright-infringing data is troublesome in a permanent archive, it's exactly the reason to archive (nearly) everything when bound by stringent rules -- to ensure the rules are followed and to easily track compliance. Watching people implement various document retention standards on various platforms really makes you appreciate the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of venti as a possible solution. A handy vac client for commercial platforms set to a specific schedule by policy would be a "killer app" for many organizations. -Jack A little light reading: http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6315_11-5054924.html http://www.cio.com/archive/031503/tl_washington.html A solution: http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/vitalfileretention A bureaucratic example: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/archives/pdf/School%20Districts%20March%202003.pdf