Gimmal Discover

Implementing Gimmal Discover follows a structured, step-by-step process designed to ensure smooth deployment and alignment with an organization’s data governance goals. Here's a breakdown of the typical implementation journey:

1. Initial Setup and Planning
   The process begins with defining the scope of the deployment, identifying data sources, and setting governance objectives. Gimmal’s team or certified partners often assist in this phase to align the platform with business needs.

2. Connector Deployment
   Gimmal Discover uses connectors to access data across various repositories such as file shares, SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange, and more. These connectors are installed and configured to begin indexing and scanning data sources.

3. Data Target Configuration
   Administrators define specific data targets—locations or systems where data resides. This step ensures that Discover knows where to look for content that needs to be classified, analyzed, or governed.

4. Workflow Creation
   Using the Workflow Builder, users create automated instructions for how data should be handled. These workflows can include actions like identifying sensitive data, generating reports, or deleting obsolete files.

5. Policy Assignment
   Policies are created to assign workflows to specific users, devices, or data sources. These policies determine when and how workflows are executed, enabling scheduled or event-driven governance actions.

6. Classification and Tagging
   Content is classified using rules-based or AI-assisted methods. Labels are applied to files and emails based on sensitivity, business value, or compliance requirements, enabling better lifecycle management.

7. eDiscovery Enablement
   Legal and compliance teams can initiate eDiscovery processes, including legal holds, first-pass review, and data exports. This step is crucial for litigation readiness and regulatory compliance.

8. Reporting and Analytics
   The platform generates detailed reports and dashboards that provide insights into data inventory, risk exposure, and policy effectiveness. These reports help stakeholders monitor progress and make informed decisions.

9. Ongoing Optimization
   After initial deployment, organizations often refine workflows, update policies, and expand coverage to additional data sources. Gimmal also offers the “8 Weeks to Delete” program to accelerate defensible deletion and reduce data clutter.

Implementation Timeline:
The full implementation can vary based on the size and complexity of the organization, but a typical deployment ranges from 4 to 12 weeks. Smaller environments may be up and running in under a month, while larger enterprises with multiple data sources and compliance needs may require more time for full rollout and optimization.

Gimmal Discover is highly customizable to fit specific business needs. Here are several ways it can be tailored:

• Custom Workflows: Organizations can build workflows that reflect their unique data governance policies, such as identifying files older than a certain age or containing specific keywords.

• Policy Flexibility: Policies can be assigned to different departments, users, or systems, allowing for granular control over how data is managed across the enterprise.

• Classification Rules: Users can define custom classification labels and rules to tag content based on business-specific criteria, such as project codes, client names, or regulatory categories.

• Language Localization: The interface can be localized using resource files, allowing organizations to translate the UI into languages like Arabic or French.

• Integration with Existing Systems: Gimmal Discover integrates with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Box, and other platforms, making it adaptable to diverse IT environments.

• Custom Reports and Dashboards: Reporting tools allow users to create tailored dashboards and export data in formats that align with internal reporting standards.

• Automation Templates: Discover supports automation through templates and parameter files, enabling repeatable, scalable governance actions.

• Setup Fees: There may be initial setup or onboarding fees, especially for larger or more complex environments. These typically cover installation, configuration, and integration with enterprise systems.

• Licensing: Pricing is usually based on the number of users, data volume, or data sources being managed. Gimmal offers customized quotes depending on organizational needs.

• Maintenance and Updates: Ongoing software maintenance, including updates and patches, is often included in annual licensing or subscription fees. However, premium support or extended maintenance may incur additional charges.

• Support Charges: Basic support is typically included, but organizations may opt for enhanced support packages (e.g., 24/7 support, dedicated account managers) at an extra cost.

• Professional Services: Custom workflow development, data migration, or integration with third-party systems may require professional services billed separately.

Gimmal provides a structured onboarding and support experience for new users:

• Getting Started Guides: The platform includes detailed documentation and step-by-step guides for first-time setup, connecting data sources, building workflows, and creating policies

• Workflow Builder Training: Users are guided through using the Workflow Builder to automate data governance tasks like reporting, classification, and deletion.

• Role-Based Access Training: Administrators can assign roles and permissions, and training is available to help manage user access securely

• eDiscovery and Classification Training: Specialized modules help legal and compliance teams understand how to use the platform for litigation readiness and regulatory compliance.

• Support Portal: Gimmal offers a support portal with FAQs, documentation, and ticketing for technical issues.

• Optional Professional Training: Organizations can request tailored training sessions or workshops, often delivered by Gimmal’s professional services team or certified partners.

Gimmal Discover includes several built-in security features to protect sensitive data:

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Administrators can define user roles and restrict access to specific features or data sets, ensuring only authorized personnel can view or act on sensitive information.

• Data Encryption: While not explicitly detailed, enterprise-grade platforms like Gimmal typically use encryption for data in transit and at rest to protect against unauthorized access.

• Audit Trails and Logging: The platform maintains logs of user activity, policy execution, and data access, supporting compliance and forensic investigations.

• Legal Hold Restrictions: eDiscovery matters can be restricted to designated users, ensuring that only authorized legal personnel can access sensitive case data

• Secure Deployment Options: Gimmal Discover can be deployed on-premises or in secure cloud environments, allowing organizations to align with their internal IT and compliance policies.

• Recurring Security Reports: The platform supports recurring reports to monitor data health and ensure ongoing compliance with security policies

Gimmal Discover follows a scheduled update model, where updates are typically released periodically to introduce new features, enhance performance, and address security vulnerabilities. While the exact frequency (e.g., monthly or quarterly) is not publicly specified, updates are managed through:

• Connector-based architecture: Updates are often deployed to the central dashboard and connectors, which communicate with local agents. This design allows for controlled rollouts without disrupting operations.

• Policy-driven automation: Updates to workflows and governance policies can be scheduled or triggered manually, giving administrators flexibility in managing changes

• Cloud and on-premises compatibility: For cloud deployments, updates may be applied automatically or during maintenance windows. On-premises users may need to manually apply updates, often with support from Gimmal or certified partners.

Organizations are encouraged to coordinate with Gimmal’s support team to plan updates in line with their IT governance policies.

Gimmal Discover adheres to a customer-first data ownership model, meaning:

• Your data remains your property: Gimmal does not claim ownership of any data scanned, classified, or managed through the platform.

• Data portability is supported: The platform allows for exporting reports, classification results, and eDiscovery outputs in standard formats (e.g., CSV, XML, PST), making it easier to migrate or archive data as needed.

• No vendor lock-in: Since Gimmal Discover integrates with widely used systems (like Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and file shares), organizations can maintain flexibility in how and where their data is stored and accessed.

This approach ensures compliance with data sovereignty and privacy regulations, especially in regulated industries.

Gimmal Discover is designed to scale both up and down based on organizational needs:

• Modular architecture: Organizations can start with core features (like data discovery and classification) and add modules such as eDiscovery, legal hold, or advanced reporting as their needs evolve.

• Connector-based scaling: New data sources can be added by deploying additional connectors, allowing the platform to grow with your data landscape.

• Policy and workflow flexibility: Governance policies can be tailored to different departments, regions, or compliance requirements, making it easy to scale governance efforts across the enterprise.

• Licensing flexibility: While pricing is customized, Gimmal typically offers licensing models that accommodate growth, whether that means onboarding more users, scanning more data, or expanding to new repositories.

Gimmal Discover is designed to help organizations meet a wide range of data privacy, security, and regulatory compliance standards, including:

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) – Supports identification and management of personally identifiable information (PII), enabling compliance with data subject rights and breach notification requirements.

• CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) – Helps organizations locate and manage consumer data, respond to access and deletion requests, and reduce risk of non-compliance.

• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) – While not a healthcare-specific platform, Gimmal Discover can assist in managing protected health information (PHI) through classification and access controls.

• SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) – Supports records retention and defensible deletion policies that align with financial reporting and audit requirements.

• FISMA/NIST – For government or defense-related clients, Gimmal Discover can be configured to align with NIST cybersecurity frameworks and FISMA requirements, particularly around data access, audit trails, and risk management.

• ISO 27001 Alignment – While not certified, Gimmal’s security practices and data governance capabilities support organizations working toward or maintaining ISO 27001 compliance.

• eDiscovery and Legal Hold Compliance – Enables defensible legal holds, first-pass review, and audit trails to support litigation readiness and regulatory investigations.

• Data Sovereignty and Residency – Gimmal Discover can be deployed on-premises or in region-specific cloud environments to meet local data residency laws, such as those in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, or the EU.

• Contract Duration: Gimmal Discover is typically licensed on an annual or multi-year basis, depending on the agreement negotiated with the client.

• Renewal Terms: Contracts often include automatic renewal clauses, unless the client provides written notice of cancellation within a specified period (commonly 30 to 60 days before the renewal date). Clients are encouraged to review their agreements for specific renewal timelines.

• Cancellation Policy: Early termination may be possible, but it could involve cancellation fees or forfeiture of prepaid amounts, especially if the contract is terminated before the agreed term ends. Some contracts may allow for termination without penalty under specific conditions, such as failure to meet service-level agreements (SLAs).

• Scalability Adjustments: Clients can typically scale up by adding more users, data sources, or modules during the contract term, often with prorated pricing. Scaling down may be restricted until the next renewal cycle, depending on the licensing model.

• Custom Terms: Gimmal often tailors contracts to enterprise clients, so terms for renewal, cancellation, and scaling may vary based on the size and complexity of the deployment.