Hi Everyone,
I have a number of ex-users kicking around our directory and I need to clean them up. The men in charge want the mail archived off onto CD/DVD. As far as I can see, I can copy the mail .nsf to CD/DVD, but can will I be able to open the mail files in 5 years down the line? Will I need the ID file as well? Does the mail file keep its ACL?
Your assistance and thoughts is greatly appreciated.
Subject: User Leaves, what to do with his mail!
One question you asked which is important is “will I be able to open the mail files in 5 years down the line?”
Assuming that the Notes client software that exists at the time will be able to read the data (and why shouldn’t it), then you will only need to have the user’s ID file. You may want to keep a license of Notes around to read these mail files (again, asusming that you can install the client on whatever flavour of OS is running at the time).
But it might also be an option to collect the mail using an SMTP client and store the resulting inbox file - at least that is stored as plain text and would not require the ID file or a Notes client to read it.
Subject: User Leaves, what to do with his mail!
Make sure that all the mail files have an admin ID listed in the ACL as manager. Then make sure that you have that ID, and never lose it. Alternatively, change the default access to Manager.
Subject: User Leaves, what to do with his mail!
It’s a good idea to add your Admin to the ACL as a manager. Also, if the users were utilizing any encryption, you will need their “current” ID file and the password, otherwise any encrypted data will be lost.
Typically, if there’s no encryption and the file isn’t set to Enforce ACL, you should be able to open the mail files on your local machine without the ID file.
If you have the ID’s and passwords, you might as well save them along with the nsf file.
If you want to access the mail files directly from CD/DVD, there are a couple of preparatory steps (e.g. rebuild views, etc.) Search the forum for details.
Subject: RE: User Leaves, what to do with his mail!
ok thanks guys. I do indeed have an admins group in the ACL. So I think my plan is to copy the .nsf’s to CD/DVD, with a copy of the ID’s and a text file with their passwords on. Unless anyone can see a gaping hole in my plan(!) …thank you very much for all your comments and help 
Subject: RE: User Leaves, what to do with his mail!
You could also make sure that all the documents in the mail file are decrypted before saving the nsf to DVD. there is at least one descriptions of how to do that in the forum.
That way you won’t have to save the old ID file and password, and will have a clean mail file that anyone can access if the need arises.
/Peter
Subject: User Leaves, what to do with his mail!
Change the default access in the ACL to Manager before moving it to the DVD. You never know who will still be working there in 5 years, so giving your Admin Manager access may be for naught.
If you are not moving it to DVD, put it in a secure folder somewhere on the network.
Subject: User Leaves, what to do with his mail!
Create a group in the ACL LocalDomainAdmins, if it does not exist
Give it full Manager Access,
Now even 5 years down the line anybody who is a member of that group can access that db
Along with the Mail file save a copy of the id and text file with the users password. This is required if there is an encrypted mail,
If encrypted mail does not exist then the NSF can be opened from any Notes Client locally or u can put it on the server and using the FULL ACCESS ADMINISTRATION option update the ACL to a user who needs to access the file.
Personally I would use the LocalDomainAdmins group option + save the id file and password.