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Trusted Systems
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The reasoning behind the development of "Trusted Systems" is to ensure that at least one copy of the electronic document or record into electronic media that does not permit unauthorized additions, deletions, or changes to the original document and that is to be stored and maintained in a safe and separate location
Implementing a trusted system brings you in compliance with CGC 12168.7 Part c
What You Will Learn
In this webinar segment, Restore Vault was demonstrated as a real-time, cloud-based solution for protecting and restoring Laserfiche data. The presenters showed how tens of thousands of files could be restored in minutes directly from the cloud, without consuming local storage, while maintaining exact copies and WORM-compliant immutable storage. The system integrates with Laserfiche workflows to automatically move documents based on retention schedules, allowing secure expiration and disposition of data by authorized users only. Restore Vault’s object storage prevents ransomware attacks, reduces server footprint through virtualization, and ensures compliance with trusted system requirements, while maintaining redundancy across multiple data centers and providing fast, on-demand access.
FAQ
What is a trusted system?
Answer:
"A trusted system is defined by California Government Code (CGC) Section 12168.7, Part C. It ensures that electronic records are true, accurate, and reliable. Per AIIM recommended practices, a trusted system must:
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Use a combination of media, hardware, and software to prevent unauthorized alterations.
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Be verifiable through independent auditing processes.
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Maintain at least two copies of the system, with one stored in a separate, safe location.
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Have documented policies and procedures for record management."
- Kimberly Samuelson
Why is "WORM" storage important for compliance?
Answer:
WORM (Write Once, Read Many) storage is "immutable," meaning once data is written, it cannot be modified or deleted for a set period. This satisfies the requirement to mitigate unauthorized alterations and protects records from corruption or administrative error.
- RestoreVault
How does Restore Vault integrate with Laserfiche?
Answer:
"Typically, Laserfiche files sit on a Windows file server, which is "unprotected" and vulnerable to ransomware. Restore Vault copies this data to a cloud-based object storage environment. It uses hashing to ensure the cloud copy is an exact match of the source and periodically audits the files for integrity."
- RestoreVault
​How does the system respond to a ransomware attack?
Answer:
"Because Restore Vault uses object storage rather than a standard file system, it is impervious to ransomware (which targets file systems).
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Demonstration: In a simulated attack where a "Permanent" volume was renamed/encrypted, Laserfiche initially showed missing images.
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Recovery: Using the Restore Vault Explorer, the team restored 48,000 file shortcuts (virtual pointers) back to the original location in minutes.
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Result: Users could immediately access and view documents in Laserfiche again, even though the actual bytes had not yet been fully "re-downloaded" to the local disk."
- RestoreVault
How are documents categorized for retention within Laserfiche?
Answer:
Using templates based on the State of California's retention schedule, documents are assigned "Volumes" based on their lifecycle:
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Permanent Volume: For records that must never be destroyed (e.g., Gun Destruction records). These are flagged as "Read Only."
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Disposition Pending (DP) Volume: For records with a finite life (e.g., Proof of Insurance). These stay in the system until a specific event (like an expiration date) triggers a countdown (e.g., Expired + 5 years) for destruction.
​How fast is the data recovery from Restore Vault?
Answer:
In a live demonstration, the system recovered 50,000 files in approximately four minutes from the cloud. This is significantly faster than traditional local backups, which can take days or weeks for a full restore.
​Does using virtualized "pointer" files slow down Laserfiche performance?
Answer:
No. Even though the local server shows "zero space on disk" for those files, the system achieves near-local speeds. When a user selects a file in Laserfiche, the system only pulls down that specific file (typically a few KB) on demand, rather than downloading the entire volume.
- RestoreVault
How do documents automatically move to different volumes?
Answer:
A Laserfiche Workflow runs in the background. It keys off the council-approved retention schedule (metadata) and automatically migrates documents to specific backend volumes (e.g., "Permanent" or "Disposition Pending") that are actively monitored by Restore Vault.
What happens to a document once its retention period expires?
Answer:
Restore Vault uses Client-Triggered Expiration.
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An authorized user (e.g., a "Data Steward" in Finance or HR) approves the deletion in Laserfiche.
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Restore Vault sees this and marks the file for disposition.
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There is a safety "wait time" (14 to 30 days) before the data is permanently zeroed out from the object storage.
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If an administrator tries to delete a file directly from the Windows file system without going through Laserfiche, Restore Vault will not expire the cloud copy, protecting against accidental or malicious deletion.
How difficult is it to set up Restore Vault?
Answer:
It is a very simple process that typically takes 15 minutes to one hour:
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Step 1: Install a native Windows agent on the Laserfiche repository server.
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Step 2: The agent performs a "Level Zero" dump, copying all existing repository data to the cloud.
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Step 3: The agent runs a nightly watch to pick up only new data.
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Step 4 (Optimization): Policies are set (e.g., "Virtualize anything older than one year") to reclaim local server space.
