Two key factors directly impact the speed and efficiency of your review team: data volume and data types. Fios offers a variety of methods to programmatically reduce the data volume and eliminate extraneous file types. These include:

• Filtering by file location and/or custodian
• Filtering by file type and/or date
• Culling of system and application files
• Advanced de-duplication techniques
• Search term filtering and pre-categorization

For instance, when the source data resides on backup tapes, there is usually more non-responsive data than responsive. Often, potentially responsive data can be identified by location-either by server name, or by the relative path (directory structure) of the data. Fios generates catalogs and inventory reports of data stored on backup tapes and works with our clients to identify the locations of all potentially responsive data. Once the appropriate data is identified, Fios can selectively restore only the tapes containing responsive data.

Developing the best strategy begins by establishing a defensible methodology for all data reduction techniques. The ultimate goal is to help you to manage costs, meet compressed timelines and ensure you have the data you need for fast, efficient review and production. Fios helps you combine technological tools with a defensible strategy that facilitates the best use of those data reduction applications.

Managing Duplicates
Depending on customer requirements, Fios can identify or completely exclude duplicate files and email messages. Once we have a set data population for each custodian, we look at the content of the files or emails across the case and use an electronic fingerprint to identify duplicates. If even one character is different, the file or email is not treated as a duplicate.

The rules for defining duplicate items can vary. Depending on your specific needs and review strategy, some of the methods we can discuss are:

• Across backup tapes
• Within one custodian's mail box and files
• Across a specific media (i.e., one backup tape)
• Across the entire data population

Fios can either exclude the duplicates and report on them or identify them in the data set. By identifying the duplicates, you will have a full picture of each custodian's data. We provide filters to exclude duplicates from your search results that you can trigger at will. And, duplicates of the same item can receive the same coding during final production.

While the technology is fairly straight forward, the application and ramifications may not be. Fios helps you understand the legal implications before any procedures are applied.

Filtering and Pre-categorization
Fios can provide an extensive search term template, much like Lexis or Westlaw, which allows you to:

• Filter for only potentially responsive items by keyword (inclusive search filter)
• Filter out non-responsive items by keyword (exclusion search filter)
• Pre-categorize potentially privileged items based on attorney and firm names
• Pre-categorize potentially relevant items by issue using keywords

Fios supports the full set of Boolean operators including advanced features like stemming, phonetic, and fuzzy searching.