The Solution - Google Vault

As we have looked at the challenges with digital communications, now lets about talk the solution.

Well, you guessed it right, let’s talk about “Google Vault”.

Now this guide is all about “Google Vault” which is a solution to the above challenges ONLY if you use “G‌ Suite”‌ (Google’s business class email and collaboration suite)

Assuming you are using (or considering)‌ G‌ Suite, let us see how Vault can help solve above challenges.

So, What is Google Vault?

Google Vault is an archiving and compliance solution from Google which helps you retain your Google Workspace data (e.g emails, files, chats etc) indefinitely or for a given number of days.

Now let us understand what Google Vault is used for, and how it can help us with the challenges we highlighted above-:

(a) Data Retention with Google Vault

If your employees either by mistake or intentionally delete their G‌ Suite data (e.g emails, files), that data is still available in Vault, which means authorized individuals (e.g Vault Administrator) can search for that data, view it, and export it too if required.

(b) Industry Compliance with Google Vault

So you have to meet an industry compliance which says “keep all of your emails for X years”?

No problem, Google Vault can help you with that as it offers flexibility to retain your data for an indefinite period or for a time duration you define.

(c) Seamless Legal Investigations with Google Vault

Your business need to run an investigation where communications in G‌ Suite (e.g emails, files, chats) would be served as evidence?

You are covered here with Vault.

Though I will cover it in great detail later in this guide, but in short, you can run legal investigations including-:

• Create legal investigation matters (Matter = Folder for a specific case to organize evidence)
• Put the required users on legal hold, so their data stays intact while investigation regardless of retention rule expiry.
• Search data for the parties involved in the investigation
• Export data from your search results
• Run Audit reports to see who performed which action in Vault