The Real Cost of E-Mail Attachments

By Anthony Ricigliano: The invention of email attachments back in 1996 changed the way that we communicate as well as the way that we view the internet. With the advent of such a system, people started wielding the ability to easily send out properly formatted documents to their email contacts with a very little amount of training required. Attachments became an overnight craze that resulted in business practices which are radically more streamlined. However, the invention of file attachments has also come complete with a hidden price--storage space. Storing huge files in an email inbox can result in exceeding mailbox storage limits. Keeping attachments can also hurt a business by impeding the performance of a server, leading to the lagging load time, backed-up files, and requiring system restores. A large number of attachments in an inbox can obstruct the proper functioning of an email system. This is the reason why it is so important to organize and archive attachments. The amount of money that can be saved by taking control of a mailbox overflowing with email attachments can save a company from debilitating increased storage costs. An archival and organizational system can save innumerable company dollars, including both hard and soft dollars.Archiving attachments is a simple process that almost anyone can figure out without much research or training. Although many email servers come with an integrated archiving and organizing systems, higher end software is also readily available. Commercial archival and organizational software may better suit the needs of larger companies and corporations, or those who desire a greater level of organization and functionality.Archiving attachments is a process that can lead to higher efficiency and productivity. Besides freeing up valuable inbox space, archiving attachments can provide quicker access to archived emails. Through the use of a search tool, keywords can be typed in to find the email someone is searching for, making access to emails a smoother process. Attachments that are filed away are more secure as well. Accidental deletions and server crashes can lead to the loss of crucial documents. Archiving these attachments will ensure that the loss of important text files is far less likely.Attachments, while useful, are also costly in their ramifications. Slower delivery times are a hindrance in situations that require speedy action. Large files weigh down a server, causing severe backups. System restores become necessary and can lead to the loss of valuable information.Because file attachments comprise 95% of the bandwidth of an email system, they are also the cause of the majority of the costs associated with network storage. Archiving these files can cut these costs exponentially. Archiving files takes up less storage space in an email system. Less storage space needed in an email system means a lower price tag overall. Adding an archival system to an email management plan will allow funds to be directed towards more lucrative investments.Overall, implementing an archival and organizational system for email can help to make a business more effective under the pressures of crucial deadlines. By reducing storage costs, such a system will eventually pay for itself. The massive gains in productivity associated with adding archival software to an email system can lead to happier users of a system. The ease with which the process of archiving attachments is done can facilitate the protection of sensitive information. Decreasing the bandwidth used by a system is as easy as archiving and organizing attachments, which can in turn lead to quicker delivery times and a speedier system. The benefits of adding an archival organizational system are truly fantastic and should be a goal of any company looking to alleviate problems in excessive attachment storage.     Author Anthony Ricigliano