Overview

The Intelligent Archive and Rehydration feature in the DryvIQ Platform makes it easy to manage and access archived content without losing visibility into your files. When files are archived, they’re replaced with customizable placeholder files that show when and where the original file was archived and include a direct link to restore the file whenever needed. With just a click, you can restore the file to its original location, ensuring your content stays accessible even after it’s moved to long-term storage. Designed to handle millions of files efficiently, this feature helps keep your workspace organized and transparent while giving you control over restoring archived documents when you need them most.

Connector Support

All DryvIQ-supported platforms can be used as either the source or destination for Intelligent Archive and Rehydration. The only exception is Microsoft Exchange. This platform can be used as the source from which files can be archived, as long as no placeholder file is required. It cannot be used as the archive destination since this is a read-only.

The archive source and destination platform connections require WRITE access to create the archive file on the destination, create the placeholder file on the source, and rehydrate the file on the source. 

Understanding Placeholder Files

Placeholder files can be a text file, an HTML file, or a URL (for platforms that support URL shortcuts). The placeholder file will be named using the original file name (including extension) with the selected placeholder file type extension added. For example, the text placeholder file for “2024 Direct Deposit Information.docx” will be “2024 Direct Deposit Information.docx.txt.”

The contents of the text and HTML placeholder files are customizable. A template is provided that includes the original file name, archive location, timestamp of the archive, and URL to the rehydration page for the file. You can use the default text or customize it as needed if you want a different message included in the archive placeholder file. A preview of the text is available to assist you as you draft the text, and you can reset the template text to the default text as needed.

You can choose to lock the placeholder file as part of the configuration. This prevents the placeholder file from being deleted. Otherwise, users who have access to delete content in the specified location can delete the archive placeholder file.

Archiving Files

The archive action moves files from a source platform to a designated archive repository (the destination platform). Files meeting predefined criteria based on the content scan configuration are moved. As part of the archive process, DryvIQ determines the destination folder hierarchy using an algorithm to distribute files and to prevent them from being archived into the same folder. This generated hierarchy is not human-readable and cannot be traced back to the source directory. DryvIQ logs the full storage path in an activity log, deletes the file from the source, and creates a placeholder file according to configured rules. Additionally, metadata for each archived file is published to a catalog for reporting.

1. Verify that there is an action set that contains the archive action. (If needed, create an action set.)
2. Add a new content scan.
3. On the Action Flows step, add the action set that contains the archive action. Be sure to add the necessary filters that should be used to identify the files that need to be archived.
4. Save the scan but do not run it.
5. Locate the scan in the Content Scans list.
6. Click the ellipses (…) at the end of the row and select Configure Actions.
   
   
7. Click Edit on the Configure Location-Specific Actions modal for the archive action.
8. If this is the first time you are adding the archive action to a content scan, you must create a new archive plan, which includes configuring the placeholder file if you want to use one. Otherwise, you can select an existing archive plan.
   
   
9. Click Confirm to save the action edits and then Done to close the Configure Location-Specific Actions modal.
10. Click Scan to start the content scan.

Understanding Archive Plans

When you create an archive plan, DryvIQ creates a migration with the assigned archive plan name and a job type “Archive Migrations.”  You can filter the Jobs list by job type and choose to view only archive migrations.  

Archive plans create a main parent job that runs to create the child jobs needed to archive and rehydrate files for the archive plan. Two child jobs are created for every content scan assigned to the archive plan. One of the child jobs is the “Archive” job. It will use the original file location as the source and the selected archive location as the destination. It will be named “Archive: [scan name]→[archive plan name].” This job archives files. The second child job is the “Rehydrate” job. This job is the inverse of the “Archive” job. It uses the archive location as the source and the original file location as the destination. This job restores archived files through the rehydration workflow. It will be named “Archive: [archive plan name]→[scan name].” In the example below, there are two child jobs because all the archived items resided on the same source location and were identified by the same content scan. If a second content scan were configured to use this archive plan, there would be four child jobs, and so on. Child jobs are scheduled to run every ten minutes to archive and rehydrate files.

Viewing and Reporting on Archived Content

The following catalog properties are available for archived files. These properties are available on the Content page, and the corresponding columns will display the information for an archived file. In addition, custom insights dashboards can be created using these properties and the existing file details properties if specialized archive reporting is required. 

Archive Data Columns

The Content page includes columns under the Metadata properties that display archive information. The Archive Status column will also include a Rehydrate link for items that have been successfully archived. You can use this link to restore the archived file to its original location (indicated in the Source Path column). See “Rehydrating Files” for more information about restoring archived files. 

Archive Plan Filter

The Content page Archive Plan filter enables you to show only items that belong to selected archive plans. Archive plans are created as part of the location-specific action configuration for scans using an action set that includes the “Archive” action. The “Unassigned” option displays only items that have not been assigned to an archive plan. This option is helpful if you want to review unassigned items so you can manually add them to the appropriate archive plan.

Refine Options

The Refine feature enables you to refine the content list based on any of the available archive information. This is helpful when you need to filter the content based on a single piece of information, such as wanting to see only items with a “Completed” Archive Status. 

Advanced Filters

If you prefer to use more complex filtering, you can use the Advanced Filter option to build a filter that combines multiple options at once. This is helpful when you need to filter the content using multiple filters at the same time, such as wanting to see only items with a “Completed” or “Assigned” Archive Status. 

File Toolbox Archive Details

Archive details will be logged in multiple places in the file toolbox. First, the File info tab will display Archived and Archive plan fields under Properties. The Archived field displays the archive status, a Rehydrate link, and the archive timestamp. The Archived plan field provides a link to the archive plan that archived the file. Clicking this link takes you to the Overview reporting page for the archive plan. From here, you can review any of the available reporting pages to help you understand more about the archive plan and the content it has archived.  

The File activity tab displays the full activity for the item. The activity includes entries for assigning an item to an archive action plan and completing the archive action. 

Rehydrating Archived Files

Each archived file is assigned a rehydration link, which enables users to restore the file to its original location. This link is included in the placeholder file (unless configured to omit it). The link in the placeholder file directs users to a DryvIQ Rehydration page that displays details about the archived file. From here, a user initiates the file rehydration, which deletes the placeholder file (if applicable) and restores the file to its original location on the source platform, recreating the original folder hierarchy if necessary. The rehydrated file will have a new timestamp that reflects the restoration time. Metadata about the restoration event will be published to a catalog for reporting.  

Rehydrating Through the Placeholder File

Users who have access to a storage platform can restore archived files using the rehydration link provided in the archive placeholder file. This process is dependent on multiple configurations, including the URL being included in the custom placeholder file text and the restore functionality being included in the archive plan.

1. For text and HTML placeholder files, open the file and copy the rehydration URL provided in the file.
2. Paste the URL into a browser and press ENTER.
3. The Rehydration page will display and provide the details for the archived file.
4. Click Restore File. (Note that the button only displays if the Allow Restore option was selected when configuring the placeholder for the archive plan.)
   
   
5. You will see a “Your file has been queued for rehydration” message. You can close the rehydration page in the browser at this time.
   
   
6. Within a few minutes, the archived file will be restored to its original location.

Rehydrating From the Content Page

Users of the DryvIQ Platform can use the Rehydrate link that displays for a file to restore the file to its original location. You can use either the link in the Archive Status column (in the Metadata section) or the link in the file toolbox. If you did not select the Allow restore option when using a placeholder file or chose not to use a placeholder file, the only way to restore a file will be through the Rehydrate links in the DryvIQ Platform.

1. On the Content page, locate the file you want to rehydrate.
2. Click the Rehydrate link in the Archive Status column or the file toolbox.
   
   
3. Click Yes when prompted to confirm that you want to rehydrate the file.
   
   
4. You will be prompted that the file has been queued to rehydrate. Click OK to close the message.
   
   
5. Within a few minutes, the archived file will be restored to its original location.

Viewing Rehydration Information

Once file rehydration is complete, the Rehydrated on column on the Content page will display the restoration date, and the archive status will be “Completed Rehydrate.” This information is also available on the File info tab in the file toolbox.

The rehydration date and status are also accessible for filtering and when building dashboards through Custom Insights.