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Collections or No Collections

Updated: 08 Jul 2009 | 5 comments
Wayne Humphrey's picture
6 Agree
2 Disagree
+4 8 Votes
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Hi All,

Most of you know how much against using collections I am, I just want to find out how many others are for and against it. Maybe lets also get a feel for a good size if you do enable it. Please also add your pros and cons to the list, I will consolidate them all at the end.

Pros:

  • Faster Backup (However you can work around this by using Partitions)
  • Centera (However setting the Centera embedded blobs can achieve the same thing)
  • Can migrate the cabs off to tertiary storage. (use with caution)

Cons:

  • On devices that do data de-duplication, you might loss de-duplication if you enable collections.
  • Retrieval is noticeably slower to end users.
  • PST Exports are Vere slow.
  • Offline Vault / Vault Cache, if you do mass builds, it is going to kill the Enterprise Vault Server. (not as bad with VC as there are by default only 30 slots so it wont kill your server, however it could take moths if you doing loads of builds)
  • Re Indexing is really slow - Enterprise Vault could open collection1.cab, re-index and item in there, open collection2.cab index an item in there then it reopens collection1.cab and index's that item again. (its faster running uncollection and then re-indexing)

Please vote Agree for not using collections and Disagree for using them.

Comments

Scanner001's picture
08
Jul
2009
0 Votes 0
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 As a Centera user i think

 As a Centera user i think collections are a must.

But for CIFS storage it can go either way

GertjanA's picture
08
Jul
2009
0 Votes 0
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HP-FSE must

To keep the data on our mailboxarchiving servers relatively in hand, I am for.
To keep the data available to the users more quick, I am against.
To use 2nd line storgae de-duplication, I am for

Time will tell here.

In our situation, I am for using collections.

Gertjan

Thank you, Gertjan
MCSE, MCITP (2x), MCTS, SCS7.5/8.0/9.0, STS9/10
Company: www.t2.nl
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JA3's picture
08
Jul
2009
0 Votes 0
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Agree

My Vault is not backed up but replicated at hardware level, so the extra backup performance is unimportant to me.
Why add complcations if you don't see a benefit is my take.

1x's picture
08
Oct
2009
0 Votes 0
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Centera GEN 4 with replication

I am using a GEN 4 with replication. We are also using DA. I do not have collections turned on due to the SAN size I would need for collections and the fact that if I place an item on legal hold the clip will still be there if I expire items but 1 of those items is on hold. So, my clip might loose all of its items except 1 but the Centera will hold that clip and the space open until all items are expired.

On another note: After running expiry you can rebuild the indexes to gain space back on your SAN or NTFS partition.

AnthonyBell's picture
08
Oct
2009
0 Votes 0
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I agree. (Your PRO/CON chart

I agree. (Your PRO/CON chart summed it up nicely.)

Quick question though:  can you turn Collections on/off on the fly per partition?
This might allow some flexibility in that you could turn collections OFF at the start of a massive migration, but then turn it ON once the user base has stabilized and/or end-user acceptance of "slow retrieval", etc.

Thanks.