Detailed Analysis
Processing involves preparing the collected ESI for review by legal teams. This stage uses automated tools to reduce the sheer volume of data and extract relevant information into a searchable format.
During processing, software identifies and removes exact duplicates through a process called deduplication. It also filters out system files that have no evidentiary value, often using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) list as a reference. The remaining data is then indexed, and metadata is extracted to allow for rapid searching and organization within a review platform.
Core processing tasks include:
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for non searchable document images.
- Expansion of compressed archives and container files.
- Extraction of hidden metadata and embedded objects.
- Normalization of various file formats into a unified viewing standard.