Google Vault is a data retention and eDiscovery tool offered by Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite). It allows organizations to retain, archive, search, and export data from various Google Workspace services such as Gmail, Google Drive, Google Meet, and Google Chat. Google Vault is designed to help organizations meet legal and regulatory compliance requirements, as well as internal data retention policies.
Here's how Google Vault works:
- Data retention policies: Organizations can set up retention policies for specific types of data, such as emails or chat messages. This allows them to retain data for a specified period of time, even if users delete the data.
- Legal holds: Organizations can place legal holds on specific data to prevent it from being deleted or modified. This is useful when a legal or regulatory matter requires organizations to preserve specific data.
- Search and export: With Google Vault, organizations can search for specific data across various Google Workspace services. This includes search criteria such as date ranges, keywords, and specific users. Once the data is located, it can be exported in various formats such as PST, MBOX, or CSV.
- Audit reports: Google Vault also provides audit reports that show data access and usage by users within the organization. These reports can help identify potential data security issues and monitor compliance with organizational policies.
Overall, Google Vault provides organizations with a comprehensive solution for managing and retaining data, while also helping them meet legal and regulatory compliance requirements.