Who Should Perform a Database Collection, IT Department or Third Party?

The writer considers the question: Whom do you contact first when you need to respond to a request involving your database systems, someone in your IT department or a third-party provider, such as outside counsel or an e-discovery service provider?

The IT department is likely to the most expert in its own systems, and it may prove to be the fastest and most cost-effective resource for performing a database system collection, particularly for a small collection with clearly defined requirements.

But while an IT department may be the expert in the house database systems, it probably is not with regard to the processes required to collect and document data for an investigation.

Two additional advantages of using third-party providers are their understanding of documentation and validation, and their independence from the organization. Third-party provider independence is beneficial when a party to the investigation is associated with those performing the data collection, or questions about your organization’s cooperation exist.

Third-party providers are familiar with the requirements of an investigation and ensuring that those requirements are met. Their ability to manage complex data collections and navigate issues surrounding cross-border discovery, data retention policies and disparate data sources are additional advantages. IT departments may not be equipped to handle the additional burden of taking on such a project, and they may not have the expertise required to identify the pitfalls and requirements of a large-scale, complex database collection.