How the Data Vault Works

Data Vault

The Data Vault Service listens for data being sent from Clients, processes the data, and stores it in the Spector 360 Database or at the File Storage locations. You will manage the Data Vault Service from the Control Center's Data Vault Properties, and you will manage the Database from the Dashboard.  

The Data Vault consists of the Data Vault Service, File Storage and Spector 360 Database (accessed as a SQL Server Instance)

The Data Vault depends on:

• Network access to Client computers.

• A static IP address for the Data Vault computer, ensuring Client communication.

• Communication with the Database.

Data Vault Service Tasks

The recorded data follows this sequence of events.

To store data in the database:

1. The Client records events, storing the data temporarily on the Client computer hard drive.

2. Once every four minutes, the Client attempts to deliver the data across the network through the established port.

3. The Data Vault service listens on the established port and responds to the Client communication.  

4. When the recorded events are received by the Data Vault service,  the Client deletes them from the local client hard drive.

5. The Data Vault Service receives the data and either inserts it in the DV database, where it is held on "raw" format, or passes files (email attachments and screen snapshots) to the File Storage location.  

6. The Data Vault then runs "Process DV" to format the data for the Dashboard and places it into the STORAGE database(s).  These Databases contain records of data for each computer or user sending recorded events.

Client Connection

The Client Service facilitates the transfer of recorded data from the Client to the Data Vault Server.

To transfer the data:

• The Data Vault Server listens on its configured port for communication from Clients.  

• Every few minutes, the Client Service attempts to communicate with the Data Vault via the configured name or static IP address, as set by the Server Settings.

• As soon as connection is made, the Client pushes all stored data to the Data Vault Server. The transmission lasts a maximum of thirty seconds. Any remaining events are transmitted to the Data Vault on subsequent connections. The Client would only reach this thirty-second threshold if it has been disconnected from the Data Vault for a long period and has accumulated a large number of recorded events in the local Data File.

• If the Client Service cannot make contact with the Data Vault Server,  the recorded data remains on the Client computer until a maximum number days have passed or a storage limit is reached. If a maximum limit is reached (for example, the computer is offline for several weeks), the Client begins deleting the oldest data.

• The Data Vault Server it transfers all recorded events to the Data Vault database and File Storage location. Every few minutes, a DV job runs to process events for the STORAGE Database. Once the data is in a STORAGE database, a Dashboard user can query and view the data. The Dashboard Management tool allows a Master Login with Database Maintenance Privileges to track the Database jobs, change the job schedules, back up and archive the Database, and monitor the size of the Databases. See the Spector 360 Dashboard Guide.

Network Requirements

The Data Vault service must be installed on a network computer that all Clients will be able to communicate with at any time. Servers are rarely turned off or removed from the network; for this reason, a server is an excellent candidate on which to install the Data Vault.

Multiple Data Vaults

You can configure multiple Data Vault Servers to communicate with a single, centralized Database. Each Data Vault Server requires a Control Center to manage its communications and Clients. See the Spector 360 Deployment Guide.