SaaS-based eDiscovery tools

While there are many questions and possible concerns about eDiscovery in the cloud, Software as a Service (SaaS)-based eDiscovery can improve responsiveness, lower capital expense, or reduce risk through better collaboration. Not to mention that of the many techniques for controlling eDiscovery costs, none has a more compelling value proposition to companies, service providers and law firms than SaaS.

It used to be, and still is in many instances, that an IT department of a company delivers service to the users within the company. However, now things have begun to move towards a cloud or Software as a Service model in which a central service provider allows many different users or businesses to access the software business application on-demand and over secure networks. Essentially, Software as a Service is a way to provide business applications and resources to a web or centralized location.

A major strength of using SaaS-based eDiscovery is an obvious one, and that is cost savings. A recent INC. Technology article stated that a client was saving almost $300,000 just by moving to a SaaS based e-mail system. The potential for SaaS-based eDiscovery savings is tremendous.

Another important factor is ease and time savings. During Digital Reef’s May 25^th’s Webinar, Director of Project Management Colby Dyess said, “I look at the Kindle. The Kindle has a modem built-in and 4G is coming out. It's just going to completely change the dynamic of it. [For SaaS-based eDiscovery] I envision having vendors handing out modems, wireless modems, and saying upload to our secure cloud using this preconfigured VPN device. And you just plug it into your system, you log on wirelessly and securely given the credentials we provide you and upload your terabytes of data. We will process it and it never touches your WAN, which in so many ways is a good thing in terms of compliance, segregation, and cost. I think that it’s going to be the way to go.”

The webinar hosted by Digital Reef on May 25 answered any lingering questions about the SaaS approach. The webinars panelists were Daniel Garrie the General Counsel and Managing Partner at FSRDG and also Managing Partner at Alternative Resolution Centers, David Whitehead the Director at Baker Robbins, and Colby Dyess the Director of Product Management for Digital Reef.

To access the full webinar visit and to read more on the SaaS model visit http://www.digitalreefinc.com/resources/webinars/.