2009 11 Dec

Electronic Document Management- File Storage And Security.

The next information is a brief summary of how electronic document management system is able to store and secure a database. Security might be administered through profiles, user templates, and databases. Some applications may offer all of these levels while others are restricted to only a few. Systems that comprise Profile and User Template security will offer the greatest quantity of flexibility to administrators and allow them to add new users with a couple of clicks.

Profiles- Predefined security levels of a general scope including edit, view, and print. The profile will also resolve which user template a user should be offered when they log into the program. If an electronic document management program is limited to only profile security, then it will be limited to three or four levels.

Encrypting Files- Encrypting documents changes the names of the files consequently they cannot be accessed or opened from an explorer utility. A user could look through the location in Windows Explorer (outside of the electronic document management software), however that individual would not be able to identify a file or document by its filename. They will as well not be able to open the file because it is encrypted and must be opened through the electronic document management program.

One of the disadvantages is that a user can delete the records if he can locate them (you cannot “lock” the directory because the document management application, or desktop, needs access to that directory). You can though overcome this difficulty with frequent backups of the system. Encrypted files have similar naming problems as blobs because reference links are lost, and you may be seized hostage by the DMS if it fails.

Native File Format Storage- This is the process of storing files in a directory in their original format. This is the most supple method because the files are not changed. The administrator as well maintains control of the admission to the documents regardless of what happens with the DMS application.

The disadvantage is that the directory have to stay unlocked (as with encryption) for a desktop application to access the documents. If you require to restrict access to these documents outside of procedural regulations, then you may store the documents on a hidden folder so that the users do not know how to navigate the document repository. This technique is very effective, but not 100% safe like the blob method.

The best security solution within the document management system will be to store the documents in their native format, but merely allow the users to access the system by way of a browser interface. The browser accesses the documents through services, so the folder may be locked down to stop accessing documents through the “back door”. The browser option gives you the best document management system of both worlds: Hundred % file security with flexibility and most favorable storage capacity.