contentACCESS documentation – version 5.1

  1. Introduction to contentACCESS
    1. Services provided by contentACCESS
    2. Software requirements
  2. contentACCESS setup package
    1. Installation of contentACCESS
      1. EULA
      2. Installation type
      3. Components
      4. Prerequisites
      5. Base folder
      6. Service settings
      7. Database connection
      8. contentACCESS Central Administration
      9. contentACCESS Web Services (Proxy)
      10. contentWEB
      11. Central login
      12. Virtual drive
      13. Search service
      14. SMTP server
      15. Overview
      16. Installation
      17. Summary
  3. contentACCESS components
    1. contentACCESS Central Administration
      1. Central administration login
      2. contentACCESS Automated single sign on
      3. Central Administration logout
      4. contentACCESS Central Administration user interface
    2. contentWEB
      1. Logging in to contentWEB
      2. contentWEB Automated single sign on
    3. Virtual drive
    4. contentACCESS Web Services (Proxy)
    5. Central login page
  4. contentACCESS Tools
    1. Installing Outlook forms
    2. Legacy email archive connectors
    3. Legacy archive connector for Metalogix Archive Manager Exchange Edition (MAM EE)
      1. Installing Legacy MAM retrieve service and its configuration on the MAM server
      2. Configuration of the MAM server in contentACCESS Central Administration
    4. Legacy archive connector for Email Lifecycle Manager (ELM)
    5. Installing TECH-ARROW’s WinShortcutter
    6. contentACCESS Outlook add-in
      1. Installation of contentACCESS Outlook add-in
      2. How to use contentACCESS Outlook add-in
  5. Tenants in contentACCESS
    1. How to create a new tenant
      1. How to edit and disable a tenant
    2. Tenant limitations
    3. How to provide access to a tenant (adding new tenant administrators)
    4. Tenant administrator invitation types
    5. Tenant associations
      1. Tenant - database association
      2. Tenant - user association
    6. Tenant deletion
  6. General system configurations
    1. Connection
    2. User interface
    3. Users in contentACCESS
    4. Invitations
    5. Roles
      1. Creating roles
      2. Role details
      3. Role assignment
      4. Defining specific permissions of a role assignment
      5. Editing roles, editing role assignments
      6. Role cloning
      7. General use cases of how to create/assign roles
      8. Managing access to contentACCESS objects
    6. Login providers
      1. Login providers’ context menu options
      2. External login provider configuration
        1. Configuring Google OAuth
        2. Configuring Office 365 login provider
        3. Exchange login provider
        4. External AD login provider
      3. Associating an enabled provider with a user login
      4. contentACCESS users in third party systems
    7. System
    8. Licensing
      1. How to activate your license key
    9. Notifications
    10. System logs — how to find out possible misconfigurations / reasons of potential system/job failures
    11. Configuration auditing
    12. Archive auditing
    13. Distributed environment in contentACCESS — Clusters
    14. Statistics
    15. Legal hold
    16. Task runner
    17. Indexing
    18. SMTP Servers
    19. SMTP Mappings
    20. Sharing job
    21. Sharing settings
    22. How to create/configure databases — All databases
  7. Common features
    1. Databases
    2. Schedules
    3. Retentions
    4. Storages
      1. Google drive storage
      2. Amazon S3
    5. Exchange connections
      1. Exchange performance settings – turning off the Exchange throttling policies
      2. Mixed Exchange environments in the Email Archive system
    6. Importing contentACCESS configurations from files
      1. Manual import of Exchange servers/groups/mailboxes to the contentACCESS Address book
      2. Importing File Archive root folders to be archived
  8. Creating new jobs in contentACCESS
  9. Jobs’ page, jobs’ context menu
  10. Filtering in jobs
  11. File Archive
    1. Introduction to File system archive
    2. File archive settings
    3. File archive Databases
    4. File archive System settings
    5. File archive Retentions
    6. File archive Storages
    7. Root folders
    8. Aliases
    9. File archive Schedules
    10. Provisioning settings and managing access to contentWEB
      1. File system provisioning job description
    11. Remote agents (file archive)
    12. Global rules (remote file archive)
    13. Configuring aliases
    14. Configuration of jobs available in contentACCESS File Archive
    15. Configuration of File archive retention changer job
    16. Configuration of File system archive job
      1. File system archive job description
    17. Configuration of a File system restore job
      1. File system restore job description
    18. Configuration of File system recovery job
      1. File system recovery job description
    19. Configuration of Delete job in File archive
      1. File system delete job description
    20. Configuration of File system shortcut synchronization job
      1. File system shortcut synchronization job description
    21. Configuration of Remote shortcutting job
      1. File system remote shortcutting job description
    22. Active/inactive documents in File system archive
  12. Email Archive
    1. Important settings before creating an Email Archive job
    2. Database settings
    3. Email archive System settings
      1. Hybrid exchange settings
      2. Email archive registration on Azure portal for Modern authentication
    4. Email archive Provisioning settings
      1. Email archive provisioning job description
    5. Retention settings
    6. Shortcuts in email archiving
    7. Storing of archived emails
      1. LoboDMS storage
    8. Creating email archive schedulers
    9. User experience
      1. Exchange 2013+: Mail app in OWA 2013+ or on MS Outlook 2013+ desktop version
      2. Exchange 2010: OWA 2010 integration
    10. Address book objects
      1. Adding address book objects manually
      2. Removing groups and mailboxes from the Address book
    11. Granting access rights for mailbox users and explicit users to view the mailbox archive
      1. Creating contentWEB users (option 1)
      2. Manage access to a mailbox archive (option 2)
    12. Database and store assignment in email archiving
      1. How to assign database, storage and index zone to an Exchange group?
      2. How to assign database, storage and index zone to a mailbox?
      3. How to move data from source database/storage into a second (target) database/storage?
    13. Mail app access
    14. Remote agents (email archive)
    15. PST import
      1. PST import job description
    16. Creating Email archive jobs: archive, restore, recovery, delete, mailbox move, shortcut synchronizaion, shortcut repair
    17. Email archive job
      1. Email archive job configuration
      2. Email archive job description
      3. Email archive journal processing
        1. Recommendations after turning on journal archive
      4. Archiving of rights protected messages
    18. Email archive retention changer job
    19. Email restore job
      1. Email restore job configuration
      2. Email restore job description
    20. Email recovery job
      1. Email recovery job configuration
      2. Email recovery job description
    21. Configuration of Delete job in Email archive
      1. Email delete job description
    22. Journal post processing job
      1. Journal post processing job configuration
    23. Mailbox move job
      1. Mailbox move job configration
      2. Mailbox move job description
    24. Shortcut synchronization job
      1. Shortcut synchronization job configuration
      2. Email shortcut synchronization job description
    25. Shortcut repair job
      1. Shortcut repair job configuration
      2. Email shortcut repair job description
    26. Public folder archiving
      1. How to configure a job to archive public folders
      2. Public folders in the contentWEB archive
      3. User permissions to public folders
      4. Public Folder archiving in mixed Exchange environments
    27. SMTP archiving
  13. SharePoint archive plugin
    1. SharePoint Archive settings
    2. SharePoint Archive job configuration
      1. SharePoint archive job description
    3. SharePoint archive retention changer job configuration
    4. SharePoint recovery job configuration
      1. SharePoint recovery job description
    5. Configuration of Delete job in SharePoint archive
      1. SharePoint delete job description
    6. SharePoint archive Provisioning settings
      1. SharePoint provisioning job description
    7. SharePoint Publishing job
      1. SharePoint publishing job description
    8. SharePoint in the contentWEB archive
  14. GDPR plugin
    1. GDPR Settings
      1. GDPR Databases
      2. GDPR Schedules
      3. GDPR Index zones
    2. GDPR Processing
      1. GDPR File system settings
      2. GDPR Exchange settings
      3. GDPR Applications
      4. GDPR Jobs
        1. GDPR File system job
          1. GDPR file system job description
        2. GDPR Exchange job
          1. GDPR Exchange job description
        3. GDPR Application job
          1. GDPR application job description
  15. Teams archive
    1. Teams archive databases
    2. Teams archive System settings
    3. Teams archive Provisioning settings
    4. Teams archive Address book
      1. Removing objects from Teams archive Address book
    5. Teams archive Licensing
    6. Teams archive Jobs
      1. Teams archive job
      2. Teams chat archive job
  16. Custom plugins
    1. Email management job configuration
    2. Storage replication plugin
    3. Sharing plugin
    4. Datengut plugin
    5. Email synchronizer plugin
    6. Categorize to Public folders plugin
    7. LoboDMS plugin
  17. ThreatTest
    1. ThreatTest configuration
      1. ThreatTest Databases
      2. ThreatTest System settings
      3. ThreatTest Schedules
      4. ThreatTest User experience
      5. ThreatTest Statistics
      6. ThreatTest Job
    2. Using ThreatTest App
  18. officeGATE
  19. contentACCESS Mobile
  20. Virtual drive configurations
  21. Teams application
  22. Application settings
  23. Terms of use
  24. FAQ
    1. Download sample for the file to be imported does not work
    2. Archiving is not working if MAPI is set to communicate with the Exchange server
    3. Virtual drive is still appearing after the uninstall
    4. Outlook forms problems
    5. Unable to open shortcuts of archived files on the server side
    6. Samples are not shown using 'Show sample" option in the Import dialog
    7. Do I need to create separate tenants for file archiving and email archiving
    8. What is the recommended database size for email, file and Sharepoint archiving
    9. The TEMP folder is running out of space when archiving big files
    10. The attachment could not be opened
    11. After updating Exchange 2013, the EWS connection might not work in contentACCESS
    12. If Windows authentication is not working in contentACCESS and an alias was created for contentACCESS
    13. contentACCESS Outlook add-in certificate issue
    14. PowerShell scripts for setting up Email archive
    15. Solution for Outlook security patches
    16. Solution for Outlook security patches through GPO
    17. Solution for indexing PDF files
    18. O365 SuperUser mailbox configuration
    19. Office365 journaling
    20. Organizational forms
    21. Multifactor authentication
    22. Region setting
    23. contentACCESS Mail app installation issue
    24. Azure app registration

20.Virtual drive configurations

What is a virtual drive?
It is a virtual file system that presents/virtualizes any data (files and folders of an actual disk) to the end-user. Virtual drive is a non-existing drive that does not physically exist in the computer, but it contains the exact structure of the items that have been processed by contentACCESS.

The contentACCESS Virtual Drive was developed by TECH-ARROW and serves as a key access point between the end user and the contentACCESS File Archive. Virtual Drive is a must-to application for user who has File system Archive and would like to use shortcutting. The user can view his archived files from here and if he has write access on the file(s), he can make changes to the file(s) – by simply opening, editing and saving with the associated application. The Virtual drive will detect the change and create a new version from the file(s) after a short delay (about 30 seconds).

By default, only the active items can be viewed on the virtual drive (active items = items in the archive, which have an original file or shortcut in the file system, too). To enable inactive view, the Show inactive items checkbox must be selected on the Virtual drive configuration page. This drive can be also shared with other users, so they can easily browse for their associated archived files in case of need. The original folder/ item permissions are also applied for the files/ folders in virtual drive. A user can access only the items on which he has access permissions in the original file system.

Note: If the shortcut pointing to the archive file is opened and edited through the Virtual drive, it must be saved back to the original file location. For more information refer to section Editing of already archived files, file versions in File system archive.

After the Virtual drive was installed (link to the Virtual drive setup is accessible in the Tools of the contentACCESS setup package), it is necessary to configure its settings on the Virtual drive configuration page.
In contentACCESS Central Administration navigate to System tab ⇒ Client Applications ⇒ Virtual drive configuration control to open this page:

Enter the server name – where virtual drive (henceforth “VD”) is installed – into the Virtual drive server name textbox. To load the actual settings of VD, click Load virtual drive settings button.

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contentACCESS server connection
It is possible to connect the Virtual drive to contentACCESS either through net.pipe connection, through the contentACCESS proxy with a secure (HTTPS) or insecure (HTTP) connection, or directly, over HTTP connection.
The net.pipe communication is the fastest way of the communication between the Virtual drive and contentACCESS as it is using shared memory for the communication. The disadvantage is, that this type is possible only if the Virtual drive and contentACCESS server are both installed on the same. In such cases this is the reccommended communication type.
The connection through the proxy is recommended, if the virtual drive is installed somewhere in the cloud or on a server that differs from the contentACCESS server. It is recommended to use a direct connection (without using the proxy), if the virtual drive and contentACCESS are installed on the same server.

  1. Virtual drive configurations, if secure communication should be used (over the proxy):
    The proxy must be installed over HTTPS connection (HTTPS connection must be selected during the installation process of the proxy);

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    In Central Administration, on the Virtual drive configuration page: The connection of the Virtual drive to contentACCESS must be established over a HTTPS connection; port 443 must be entered into the connection URL.

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  2. Virtual drive configurations, if the virtual drive will connect to the contentACCESS server directly:
    In Central Administration, on the Virtual drive configuration page: If having a direct connection, select HTTP connection when specifying the contentACCESS server name URL. The virtual drive and contentACCESS are installed on the same server, so the “localhost” URL can be configured. Enter 8736 for the port number.

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  3. Virtual drive configurations using net.pipe for communication, if Virtual drive and contentACCESS are installed on the same machine:

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In the next steps it is required to specify the user, over which VD will connect to contentACCESS.
To establish the connection with the contentACCESS server, the system user, or a Windows user can be used. The Virtual drive will connect to contentACCESS over these credentials. By default, the contentACCESS system user is used to this connection. If you do not want to change these connection settings, leave the “Use Windows authentication checkbox” unchecked. To enable the connection with Windows account the following steps must be performed:

  • When installing the Virtual drive the Windows, user credentials should be specified. This VD service (GATE.contentAccess.VirtualDrive.Service) user will be taken to log in to contentACCESS.

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  • In contentACCESS, the corresponding Windows user login needs to be created (under System ⇒ Security ⇒ Users…double click on the user…add Windows user login in the User logins section…fill required fields in the Add new login dialog).


  • On the configuration page of virtual drive, the “Use Windows authentication” checkbox must be selected:

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The main advantage of a Windows user is: if the system user credentials are changed by the user and he forgot to change it in the Virtual drive settings, Virtual drive will be disabled to connect to contentACCESS. If a Windows user is used, such problems can be avoided.

To finalize the VD configuration continue with configuring the following settings. Some of them are set by default, these can be left as they are:

Root mount point: Here you can choose an available disk for the Virtual drive. By default it is disk “G”, but it is possible to change it.
Share for: The Virtual drive will be shared for this Active directory group only. It is recommended to specify a domain group that contains all the users who should have access to the Virtual drive. Usually, it is “Domain Users” or “Everyone”.
Show inactive items: the user may set here whether he wants to see the inactive items (items in the archive, which do not have an original or shortcut in the file system) in the virtual drive, or not. In default view only the active items are shown.
Download locally: contentACCESS data can be stored a) as files in the cache, or b) as content in the memory. If you check option “Download locally”, then files will be stored in the cache.
Folder refresh interval(s): The virtual drive folder will be refreshed in time intervals that are set here. During these intervals the newly archived files will become visible in the virtual drive folder.
Download cache: Virtual drive will save temporary files to this folder.
Permanent cache: Virtual drive will save all changes to this folder. When users are editing files, all changes are stored here until they are committed to the archive. This folder must have plenty of free space.

Note: The Permanent cache is used to hold the changes until the file is closed or after x seconds of inactivity. After the version is created in the archive, the file is removed from the Permanent cache.

It is also recommended to set different folders for the Download cache and the Permanent cache (can be on the same disk, but different folder).

Cache size limit (MB): When opening the archived data, the processed data are cached to unburden Virtual drive from unnecessary operations and to shorten access time to this data. This function helps to unburden the VD server. Here we can define the maximum size of data, which will be downloaded and stored by the Virtual drive. In our case we set this limit to 1 MB.
Cache recalculation interval (ms): The time set here will define the intervals when the cache will be “cleaned”. At the intervals that are set here, the cache will check if the cache size limit has not been exceeded.
Timeout: The duration of running of all operations can be determined here. After this time period, the operation will be interrupted. Value “0” means that the operation will be waiting infinitely.
Read-only mode: If virtual drive is in read-only mode, the files can’t be edited and no new versions are created from them. After this setting is changed and saved, the Virtual drive needs to be restarted.
Debug: If you check this textbox, then all errors and warnings that have been noticed will be written into the .log file or into the debug view. It is recommended to turn on this function only if the user notices some problems with running of virtual drive, otherwise these notifications might slow down the operations.

Virtual drive status: This will show the current state of the virtual drive. With the buttons below you can start/stop the virtual drive. To connect to the G drive and start the virtual drive, click on Start virtual drive.

Do not forget to save the configuration.

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