FTI Technology Launches FTI Harvester Offering for Custodian-Based E-Discovery Collection of Microsoft SharePoint Data

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN), the global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance their enterprise value, announced the availability of the FTI Harvester software and services offering. FTI Harvester offers custodian-based preservation and collection of Microsoft SharePoint data, ensuring a more thorough and defensible approach than collection by keyword search, which gives limited protection against spoliation or data loss. The software can be deployed behind the firewall with an on-site support team, or the software and services can be managed remotely working with local IT staff. FTI Harvester supports Microsoft SharePoint 2010 as well as earlier Microsoft SharePoint versions, and offers predictable pricing through a simple calculation of data volume and number of custodians.

"Microsoft SharePoint's unique collaboration capabilities are driving pervasive adoption throughout organizations of all sizes," said Brian Babineau, senior analyst with Enterprise Strategy Group.  "Because it is replacing or augmenting traditional data stores such as corporate file shares, it is absolutely critical for companies to establish a repeatable Microsoft SharePoint preservation and collection process. Having a solution such as FTI Harvester at the ready can help corporations and law firms quickly and defensibly respond to Microsoft SharePoint requests when they inevitably come."

A 2009 ESG research study found that while most Microsoft SharePoint deployments were in their infancy, senior executives still claimed that the technology was going to be a top ten IT initiative in 2009 and 2010 (Microsoft SharePoint Adoption, Market Drivers, & IT Impact, Enterprise Strategy Group, March 2009). Yet collecting data from Microsoft SharePoint in response to an e-discovery request poses some particular challenges, including:

• Keywords: Microsoft SharePoint search capabilities are not conducive to finding data by custodian, so relevant data modified or accessible by the custodian may be missed.  In addition, relying on untested keywords can result in incomplete or overly inclusive collection.
• Decentralized control: IT may not track the subject matter, data formats or even those with access to information residing within Microsoft SharePoint.
• Dynamic environment: With Microsoft SharePoint data constantly changing, the collection process must contend with the addition, deletion and changes to that information, as well as organizational staffing changes. As the information changes, companies may run the risk of having to recollect data multiple times to ensure a thorough collection.
• Data formats:  Microsoft SharePoint is often used as a storage repository for a vast array of file formats beyond the typical email and Microsoft Office documents most often collected, reviewed and produced for litigation.

"The legal advantage and defensibility provided by custodian-based collection cannot be overstated," said James Zucker, associate for Hogan Lovells. "FTI Harvester is a self-documenting, one-stop-shop, surgical strike collection tool for Microsoft SharePoint." 

FTI Harvester addresses these challenges by bringing together a software and services offering that goes beyond basic keyword search to deliver materials authored by, modified by or accessible to targeted custodians. This includes identifying network user names for custodians and identifying all groups for which the custodian is a member. Copies of the selected documents are then exported, with metadata preserved, for further culling and review in e-discovery platforms such as Ringtail® Legal™.

"Microsoft SharePoint is a dynamic and easy-to-use repository for corporations, but when it comes to e-discovery collection, keywords are not enough," said Larry Briggi, managing director for FTI Technology. "FTI Harvester takes a custodian-based approach to preservation and collection so that legal and IT teams have a cost-effective, secure and defensible methodology to e-discovery requests."  

Through its comprehensive portfolio of e-discovery software, services and consulting, FTI is transforming the way corporations and their law firms globally manage e-discovery for legal and regulatory events. Through offerings such as FTI Acuity, FTI e-discovery services and consulting help streamline the entire e-discovery process and can provide clients a single point of e-discovery accountability. The award-winning portfolio of FTI Technology software, including Attenex®, Ringtail and Ringtail® QuickCull® delivers advanced technology for the most mission-critical and costly steps of e-discovery. Unlike competitive offerings, FTI e-discovery software can be deployed either on-premise or on-demand as a hosted solution. This hybrid capability helps clients scale to the unique demands of each legal matter without sacrificing a consistent and cost-effective e-discovery process. Altogether, FTI Technology provides a smart and comprehensive approach to improve the e-discovery process, contain costs without cutting corners, and manage client's critical enterprise information demands.

FTI Technology will present a complementary Webinar on the e-discovery challenges of Microsoft SharePoint on May 19. To register for the event, please visit FTI's Website.

For more information on FTI Technology, please visit www.ftitechnology.com.

About FTI Consulting

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 3,400 employees located in most major business centers in the world, we work closely with clients every day to anticipate, illuminate, and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management and restructuring. More information can be found at www.fticonsulting.com.

QuickCull®, Attenex®, Patterns®, and Ringtail® are registered trademarks of FTI Consulting, Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE FTI Consulting, Inc.