mailonizer - Perfect complement for Outlook auto archiv feature

The integrated Outlook Auto Archiv feature to backup all outlook elements is one of the most popular backup function. The possibilites to setup an archiv strategy for each folder, fits perfect to the different demands of users to backup outlook items. But, the base of Outlook auto archive is a single file, the PST file. This is an integrated problem, because it was not considered as an archive file it was designed as an item container, a cache. So, who decides to run outlook backups with this feature, needs to be aware of the pros and cons of that solution. This article describes a collection of advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Outlook auto archiv feature

Here the advantages of the Outlook auto archiv in a short overview.

• free of charge, because it is integrated in all versions of Outlook (expect Outlook Express)

• very good custamizing facilities

• execution could be schedulded, the default schedule is all 2 weeks

• universal, because all outlook items like emails, contacts, meetings, tasks were saved

• automatically in the background

Disadvantages of Outlook auto archiv feature

Here the disadvantages of the Outlook auto archiv in a short overview.

• Size limits
  The PST format limits the maximum size of Outlook 2000 to 2 GB, from Outlook 2003 to 20 GB, so be well informed, how much email volume you and your collegues will have a year, before you run your business with this solution. When you arive that limit a loss of data can appear and email sending is limited.
  

• High risk of failure
  The central archive file, especially in a size with 20 GB, is a very high risk for failure.  Defect clusters on your hard disc can lead to a terrible result, the loss of all backup data
  

• Timing of the data backup
  The big file size means, that the backup process can last for some minutes, where the normal Outlook funcionality is reduced due to network and cpu usage.
  

• email search lasts very long
  The email search over a bunch of PST files becomes a complex and long work. Also there has been good improvments in combination with Windows Search in Windows Vista/Win 7 and Outlook 2003/2007, only the data where indexed, which could be reached by the Windows Search index tool. Data out of reach couldn't be searched for quickly. If you think of a long lasting project it might be possible, that you need to search in 2-3 yearly backup files, just to find on email.
  

• Default folder for PST on C:
  The default folder for the PST archiv file is C:, so it is not good for the speed of your operation system on one hand and it is not saved redundant on the other hand.
  

• High cpu usage due to virus protection software
  The virus protection system works on file base, so it looks inside the file system table and recognizes the reading and writing into all files. In the case of change ( new data added, or old data changed ) the virus system needs to check the whole file against the virus definition table. You will recognize an increasing cpu usage due to virus protection beginning with a file size of 10 GB, depending on what virus protection system you use. If you receive about 100 emails a day, the virus protection runs all the time !

• yearly archive strategy
  The standard email volume^*) is about 1 GB a year, so different experts give the advice to create one archive each year, to reduce the failure risk and to keep the speed of Outlook acceptable.

• Some backup laws can't be fullfilled
  If you need to backup data by law for 6 to 10 years (depends on your law situation) it is not possible to solve this with a central backup solution

• PST file format is not a standard
  Backup data with Outlook auto archiv means the data are stored in a propriate binary file format. You can't extract details and you are very highly depening on the Outlook version e.g from Outlook 97, 98, 2000, 2002 to Outlook 2003, 2007 und 2010. Inform yourself about the incompability between this versions. Standards like CSV, HTML, TXT, XML are not suppported.
  

• Archiv reduces OS power
  The experience of a lot of Outlook users is, that two big PST archives (outlook.pst and archive.pst) on System partition C: (which is normally optimized to OS+programs) will lead to a reduced pc performance. This is due to the fact, that there will be less free space on the hard disc to cache internal data, the fragmentation process is increased. Experts give you the strong advice to store this data on a second partition.
  

mailonizer – Perfect complement to Outlook Auto Archive

Why don't you combine the pros of both systems to get the best solution for email backup ?

With mailonizer PRO und EXTREME you'll get 2 tools, which compensate the disadvantages of the Outlook auto archive feature through the advantages of the mailonizer features.

With mailonizer you'll get rid off the problems in Outlook auto archiv feature

The often used mailonizer supports you to solve the disadvantages in Outlook auto archiving. The mailonizer comes with the versions FREEWARE, BASE, PRO and EXTREME to solve it at best price.

-          mailonzer uses standard formats for email backup

mailonizer gives you the possibility to choose inbetween the standard formats TXT, HTML or MSG. Make your email backup strategy free and independent from format and compability questions. Files saved in TXT and HTML could be read by standard applications like editors or web browsers without outlook installtion. You can process on that files by analyzing, copying or moving them inside of your computer or network by simple batch file processing.

-          mailonizer works without space limits

The PST format is limited in Outlook 2000 to 2 GB and from Outlook 2003 to 20 GB.

mailonizer uses the free capacity of your hard disc. The actual hard disc size for 100 €  is about 700 GB.

-          mailonizer reduces the failure risk in your email backup strategy

The central archiv is very risky for defects and data loss, mailonizer reduces this by using a email to one file solution.

One email, one file. Sounds easy and yes it is easy and safe.

-          mailonizer – Just find your emails

To search an email over a couple of PST files can get a long and horrible situation, mostly when someone is waiting for that. mailonizer generic filters recognizes contents and saves emails, e.g. to a network project folder. You will be much faster, because you will only look into the box of emails which is relevant to your search and not the other 99%. Mostly networks are included in a company wide backup strategy, so you don't have to care of your PC backup any longer.

Outlook is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation

mailonizer is a trademark of softeule

^*) standard email volume of intel stuff 100 emails with 150 kB each.