Achieving Proportional and Defensible Cloud Data Collection
Handling a Substantial Volume of Data Stored in a Cloud Suite
-
March 30, 2026
-
In a recent complex e-discovery matter, an Australian client required support for a handling a substantial volume of data stored a cloud suite the company used exclusively enterprise-wide for document management, collaboration and storage. The case required a defensible and proportionate collection of potentially relevant documents for processing for legal review.
While the client’s cloud suite served as a highly effective collaboration and storage platform, its functionality was not designed for e-discovery capabilities. Because the platform lacks advanced filtering, search, download and targeted export features, legal data collection from the platform at scale was highly challenging.
Only a fraction of the client’s five terabyte data repository was relevant to the matter, however the system did not allow for a targeted data export. Attempting to download and review the full population through the cloud suite’s native interface would have posed significant time, cost and proportionality challenges that would have hindered the legal team’s ability to meet deadlines related to the case.
FTI Consulting Technology’s team of emerging data sources experts deployed a proprietary solution, FTI Technology Connect, to address these challenges. Connect is purpose-built to facilitate secure, targeted and defensible data collection from cloud-based and collaboration platforms, including the one in place in the client’s environment.
The scalability and flexibility provided by Connect delivered the following solutions to the client:
- An initial metadata extraction to provide full visibility into the entire dataset, including file names, custodians, dates and file types, without conducting a transfer of the actual documents.
- Pre-collection filtering by search terms, date ranges, custodians and file-type exclusions to defensibly and significantly reduce the scope of data to be collected for review.
- Validation of the relevant subset of data within the client’s environment.
- Bulk download of only responsive files in a format ready to transfer to the review platform, ensuring no excess or irrelevant data was processed or transferred unnecessarily.
The combination of expertise and the capabilities of the Connect solution reduced the total data population set for extraction from the cloud by 97%. Without this solution, it would not have been feasible for the client to conduct a targeted and defensible collection within the constraints of the matter. The ability to pre-filter data before collection aligned with legal obligations and proportionality principles and resulted in:
- Significant cost savings on data hosting, processing and review.
- Rapid turnaround of discovery requirements and avoidance of delays associated with over-collection.
- Reduced risk of exposure to irrelevant or privileged information.
- Full defensibility, with filtering decisions documented and traceable.
Related Insights
Related Information
Published
March 30, 2026
Key Contacts
Managing Director