Labeling electronic data in an electronic discovery enterprise system

• US 8,200,635 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Mayer, Michael J., Toomey, Brian L., Andersen, David M., Miller, Emerson D., Richards, Phillip L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Kuen
• Application Number:
  US12/627,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 707/641
• US Class Current: 707/641
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Embodiments herein disclosed relate to methods, systems and computer program products that provide an enterprise wide e-discovery system configured to search myriad data sources across an enterprise to identify electronic data relevant to a particular data request, harvest the relevant electronic data, filter the electronic data to identify request file types, transfer the request file types to a data store, and assign labels, such as barcodes, to the requested file types for the purpose of producing, in an organized fashion, all requested electronic data that is in the enterprise'"'"'s possession.

Claims

1. A method for collecting, labeling and storing data in an electronic discovery system, comprising:

receiving an electronic discovery data request to collect electronic data from a data source, wherein the data request specifies more than one data type;

using a computing device processor to;

create a plurality of electronic labels, each electronic label associated with a corresponding data type included in the data request, and including machine-readable code configured to indicate the data type and the date of the data request;

store the plurality of electronic labels on an electronic discovery permanent storage network;

stage the electronic data by collecting, in response to receiving the data request, a plurality of individual files of the electronic data from the data source and storing the files on an electronic discovery staging drive until collection is completed;

filter the collected electronic data to identify a data type for each of the files and group the plurality of files into data type-specific data sets;

transfer the data sets from the electronic discovery staging drive to the electronic discovery permanent storage network; and

associate the data sets with a corresponding electronic label based on a data type associated with the data set and the corresponding electronic label.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a computing device processor to;

collect metadata from the files of the electronic data as the files are being transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

store the metadata in a file log; and

store the file log separate from the files of the electronic data by storing the file log in a database that is separate from the electronic discovery permanent storage network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using the computing device processor to filter further comprises using the computing device processor to filter the electronic data to identify data of an electronic communication data type and designating remaining non-filtered electronic data as electronic file data type.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a computing device processor to;

receive an expected-number-of-files indicator from a third party, wherein the expected-number-of-files indicator specifies a number of files of the electronic data that are to be collected from the data source.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

using a processor to;

determine an actual-number-of-files indicator that specifies a number of files of the electronic data that were actually transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network and associated with one of the data types, wherein the actual-number-of-files indicator is determined by counting files as files are transferred from the electronic discovery staging drive to the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

compare the expected-number-of-files indicator and the actual-number-of-files indicator; and

provide a failure notification if the actual-number-of-files indicator does not match the expected-number-of-files indicator.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a processor to;

receive an expected-data-amount indicator from a third party, wherein the expected-data-amount indicator specifies an aggregated size of files in the electronic data that is to be collected from the data source.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

using a processor to;

determine an actual-data-amount indicator that specifies an aggregated size of files that were actually included in the electronic data and that were actually transferred to the long-term storage network and associated with one of the data types, wherein the actual-data-amount indicator is determined by summing a size of each of the files transferred from the electronic discovery staging drive to the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

compare the expected-data-amount indicator and the actual-data-amount indicator; and

provide a failure notification if the actual-data-amount indicator does not match the expected-data-amount indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a processor to;

calculate a hash value for the electronic data while the files are being transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

store the hash value separate from the files of the electronic data by storing the hash value in a database that is separate from the electronic discovery permanent storage network.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a processing request for the electronic data that is stored on the electronic discovery permanent storage network; and

using a processor to ensure that the electronic data was not modified while it was stored on the electronic discovery permanent storage network by;

calculating a second hash value for the electronic data while the files are being transferred off of the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

comparing the second hash value to the hash value that was calculated when the files of the electronic data were transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data request includes a file path for retrieving the electronic data.

11. A system for collecting, labeling and storing data in an electronic discovery system, the system comprising:

a computing platform including at least one processor and a memory in communication with the processor;

data collection instructions stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to receive an electronic discovery data request which specifies more than one data type requiring collection and, in response to receipt of the data request, collect electronic data from a data source, wherein the electronic data includes a plurality of individual files;

electronic label instructions stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to (1) create a plurality of electronic labels, each electronic label associated with a corresponding data type included in the data request and including machine-readable code configured to indicate the data type and the date of the data request, and (2) store the plurality of electronic labels on an electronic discovery permanent storage network;

staging instructions stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to stage and temporarily store the collected electronic data on an electronic discovery staging drive until collection is completed;

data filtering instructions stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to (1) filter the collected electronic data to identify a data type for each of the files and (2) group the plurality of files into data type-specific data sets; and

data transfer instructions stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to (1) transfer the data sets from the electronic discovery staging drive to the electronic discovery permanent storage network and (2) associate the data sets with a corresponding electronic label based on a data type associated with the data set and the corresponding electronic label.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

data amount verification instructions stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to (1) determine a number of files that were actually transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network and (2) compare the number of files that were actually transferred to an expected number of files.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the expected number of files is received from a third party.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the expected number of files represents a number of files stored on the data source that are of one of the file type and that are included in the electronic data.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the validation instructions are further configured to provide a failure notification if the number of files that were actually transferred does not match the expected number of files.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further comprising:

data validation instructions stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to (1) calculate a hash value for the files of the electronic data when the files are transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network and (2) store the hash value in a database that is separate from the electronic discovery permanent storage network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data validation instructions are further configured to ensure that the files of the electronic data were not modified while stored on the electronic discovery permanent storage network by (1) calculating a second hash value for the files of the electronic data when the files are transferred off of the electronic discovery permanent storage network and (2) comparing the second hash value to the previously calculated hash value.

18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, wherein the computer-readable program instructions comprise:

first instructions configured to receive an electronic discovery data request to collect electronic data from a data source, wherein the data request specifies more than one data type;

second instructions configured to create a;

third instructions configured to store the plurality of electronic labels on electronic discovery permanent storage network;

fourth instructions configured to stage the electronic data by collecting, in response to receiving the data request, a plurality of individual files of the electronic data from the data source and storing the files on an electronic discovery staging drive until collection is completed;

fifth instructions configured to filter the collected electronic data to identify a data type for each of the files and group the plurality of files into data-type specific data sets;

sixth instructions configured to transfer the data sets from the electronic discovery staging drive to the electronic discovery permanent storage network; and

seventh instructions configured to associate the data sets with a corresponding electronic label based on a data type associated with the data set and the corresponding electronic label.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

eighth instructions configured to collect metadata from the files of the electronic data as the files are being transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

ninth instructions configured to store the metadata in a file log; and

tenth instructions configured to store the file log separate from the files of the electronic data by storing the file log in a database that is separate from the long-term storage network.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the fifth instructions are further configured to filter the electronic data to identify data of an electronic communication data type and designate remaining non-filtered electronic data as electronic file data type.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

eighth instructions configured to receive an expected-number-of-files indicator from a third party, wherein the expected-number-of-files indicator specifies a number of files of the electronic data that are to be collected from the data source.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

ninth instructions configured to determine an actual-number-of-files indicator that specifies a number of files of the electronic data that were actually transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network and associated with one of the data types, wherein the actual-number-of-files indicator is determined by counting files as files are transferred from the electronic discovery staging drive to the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

tenth instructions configured to compare the expected-number-of-files indicator and the actual-number-of-files indicator; and

eleventh instructions configured to provide a failure notification if the actual-number-of-files indicator does not match the expected-number-of-files indicator.

23. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

eighth instructions configured to receive an expected-data-amount indicator from a third party, wherein the expected-data-amount indicator specifies an aggregated size of files in the electronic data that is to be collected from the data source.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

ninth instructions configured to determine an actual-data-amount indicator that specifies the aggregated size of files that were actually included in the electronic data and that were actually transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network and associated with one of the data types, wherein the actual-data-amount indicator is determined by summing a size of each of the files transferred from the staging drive to the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

tenth instructions configured to compare the expected-data-amount indicator and the actual-data-amount indicator; and

eleventh instructions configured to provide a failure notification if the actual-data-amount indicator does not match the expected-data-amount indicator.

25. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

eighth instructions configured to calculate a hash value for the electronic data while the files are being transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network;

ninth instructions configured to store the hash value separate from the files of the electronic data by storing the hash value in a database that is separate from the electronic discovery permanent storage network.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising:

tenth instructions configured to receive a processing request for the electronic data that is stored on the electronic discovery permanent storage network; and

eleventh instructions configured to ensure that the electronic data was not modified while it was stored on the electronic discovery permanent storage network by;

calculating a second hash value for the electronic data while the files are being transferred off of the long-term storage network;

comparing the second hash value to the hash value that was calculated when the files of the electronic data were transferred to the electronic discovery permanent storage network.

27. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the data request includes a file path for retrieving the electronic data.