Frequently Asked Questions
Features & Capabilities
What is Shield Archive and what are its core capabilities?
Shield Archive is an enterprise-grade communications archiving solution designed to provide immutable, centralized, and always-accessible data storage. It ensures compliant retention, fast retrieval, and audit readiness for organizations subject to global regulations. Key capabilities include support for 100+ data sources, encrypted WORM storage aligned with SEC 17a-4, MiFID II, and FINRA, deduplication, full traceability, automated completeness reporting, and high-paced, scalable migrations of historical data. Note: Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.
How does Shield Archive ensure data integrity and security?
Shield Archive preserves every record in its original, tamperproof, and encrypted form, ensuring audit readiness across channels and jurisdictions. It uses encrypted WORM storage, end-to-end encryption in transit and at rest, and a single-tenant private cloud architecture for complete data isolation. The platform is SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified, with GDPR-aligned controls and DORA operational resilience. Note: Best fit for organizations prioritizing single-tenant isolation; teams requiring multi-tenant shared infrastructure may want to consider alternatives.
What regulatory frameworks does Shield Archive support?
Shield Archive supports a wide range of global regulatory frameworks, including SEC 17a-4 (US securities record keeping), CFTC (US derivatives & commodities), FINRA (US securities), and MiFID II (EU financial instruments). The platform is designed for multi-jurisdictional compliance, matching the regulatory depth of leading platforms. Note: For niche or emerging regulatory requirements, consult Shield for specific coverage details.
How does Shield Archive handle data retrieval and export?
Shield Archive enables on-demand exports of raw, enriched, and metadata records, with no export or exit fees. Data is structured and exportable in standard, portable formats, supporting flexible, high-granularity exports from anywhere within the platform. There are no extraction barriers, and operational continuity is maintained in the event of provider transition. Note: Export performance may depend on data volume and network conditions.
What storage tiers are available in Shield Archive?
Shield Archive offers intelligent storage tiering: a Hot Tier for frequently accessed data with seconds-level search SLA, a Cold Tier for compliant long-term retention (with metadata still searchable), and a Warm-Up Flow for on-demand retrieval that temporarily restores cold records to the hot tier. Note: Retrieval times for cold data may be longer than for hot data.
Security & Compliance
What certifications does Shield Archive hold?
Shield Archive is SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified, demonstrating adherence to stringent security, availability, and confidentiality standards. The platform is also GDPR-aligned and operationally resilient in line with DORA expectations. Note: For industry-specific certifications beyond these, contact Shield for details.
How does Shield Archive support data privacy and ownership?
Shield Archive is built around full data ownership, with no export fees, exit fees, or extraction barriers. Data remains in the customer's environment, and the architecture is aligned with the EU Data Act for data portability and provider switching. Note: While Shield ensures customer data control, organizations are responsible for their own internal data governance policies.
How does Shield Archive validate its security posture?
Shield Archive undergoes yearly SOC 2 Type II audits and independent penetration testing to validate its security measures. The platform employs a zero-trust architecture, end-to-end encryption, and segregated multi-tenant environments for data security. Note: Detailed penetration test results are not publicly disclosed; contact Shield for more information.
Pricing & Commercial Model
Does Shield Archive charge export or exit fees?
No, Shield Archive does not charge export or exit fees. The platform operates on a transparent commercial model with no hidden costs, ensuring customers retain full ownership and control of their data. Note: While there are no export or exit fees, standard subscription or usage fees may apply; contact Shield for a customized quote.
How is Shield Archive priced?
Shield Archive's pricing is tailored to each customer based on factors such as the volume of communications, number and type of connectors, and the variety of channels being monitored and archived. The pricing model is designed to be predictable, with no export or exit fees. For a customized quote, contact Shield's team directly. Note: Detailed price lists are not publicly available.
Technical Requirements & Implementation
Can we migrate our historical data into Shield Archive?
Yes, Shield Archive supports out-of-the-box, high-paced, highly scalable migrations of historical data with verified, audit-grade file-level completeness. The platform is designed to ingest data from 100+ sources and legacy archives, ensuring operational continuity and auditability. Note: Migration timelines may vary based on data volume and source system compatibility.
What data formats can be exported from Shield Archive?
Shield Archive allows data to be exported in standard, portable formats, supporting flexible, high-granularity exports. This ensures compliance with the EU Data Act and enables operational continuity during provider transitions. Note: For specific format compatibility, consult Shield's technical documentation or support team.
How does Shield Archive support global data residency requirements?
Shield Archive offers policy-driven retention and flexible global residency controls, allowing organizations to comply with regional and regulatory data residency requirements. The platform supports multi-jurisdictional compliance and provides automated completeness and reconciliation reporting. Note: For highly specialized residency needs, contact Shield for a tailored assessment.
Use Cases & Benefits
Who can benefit from using Shield Archive?
Shield Archive is designed for compliance leadership, records management teams, and legal/investigation teams in highly regulated industries such as financial services, energy trading, and investment banking. It provides unified oversight, policy-driven retention, and rapid, audit-ready data retrieval. Note: Organizations with minimal regulatory requirements may not need the full feature set of Shield Archive.
How does Shield Archive support investigations and eDiscovery?
Shield Archive enables rapid response to regulatory inquiries, legal matters, and internal investigations with on-demand access to records. It features integrated legal hold management, centralized management of legal holds and retention policies, and audit-grade exports. Note: For advanced eDiscovery analytics, Shield offers a dedicated Shield.Discover solution.
Product Information & Recognition
Has Shield Archive been independently validated or recognized?
Yes, Shield Archive was ranked a Top 3 Vendor for Archive Platforms in the 2025 Gartner® Critical Capabilities for Digital Communications Governance and Archiving. The platform is also subject to independent audits and penetration testing. Note: Rankings may change over time; refer to the latest Gartner report for updates.
Where can I find technical documentation and support for Shield Archive?
Shield provides a detailed knowledge base through the Shield Support portal, including technical documentation, FAQs, and troubleshooting resources. Access the portal at https://kb.shieldfc.com/hc/en-us. Note: Some resources may require customer login.
