Top 7 Cloud Archiving Tools for Compliance

Cloud archiving is critical for businesses needing long-term data retention, regulatory compliance, and audit readiness. Unlike backups, archiving ensures data immutability and supports mandates like SEC Rule 17a-4, HIPAA, GDPR, and ISO/IEC 27001. These tools help organizations meet legal requirements while optimizing costs by shifting inactive data to lower-cost storage tiers. Here's a quick overview of the top options:

• NetDocuments : Tailored for legal workflows with automated retention, granular access controls, and robust encryption.
• OpenText Documentum : Scalable for enterprise needs, offering WORM storage, event-driven retention, and advanced security.
• Egnyte : Combines AI-driven governance with compliance for GDPR, HIPAA, SEC rules, and more.
• Box : Trusted by Fortune 500 companies, featuring flexible retention policies and strong audit capabilities.
• Laserfiche : Focused on regulated industries with legal holds, detailed audit logs, and secure encryption.
• FileCloud : Offers customizable retention rules, smart classification, and robust security measures.
• Amazon WorkDocs : Built on AWS, providing flexible retention, integration with S3 Glacier, and detailed audit logs.

Each tool addresses specific compliance needs and operational goals. Consider retention policies, supported regulations, audit capabilities, and encryption standards when choosing the right solution.

Quick Comparison :

Tool	Key Strengths	Starting Price
NetDocuments	Legal-focused, automated retention, encryption	Custom pricing
OpenText Documentum	WORM storage, event-driven policies, secure	Custom pricing
Egnyte	AI-driven governance, GDPR/SEC compliance	Custom pricing
Box	Flexible retention, audit-ready	Custom pricing
Laserfiche	Legal holds, detailed audit logs	$93/user/month
FileCloud	Smart classification, customizable policies	Custom pricing
Amazon WorkDocs	AWS integration, S3 Glacier support	$5/user/month

Choose based on your industry's regulations, data volume, and long-term cost considerations.

Cloud Archiving Tools Compliance Features Comparison

1. NetDocuments

NetDocuments is a cloud-based document management system tailored for legal professionals. Trusted by over 7,000 clients worldwide, it boasts an impressive 99.9% uptime, making it a reliable choice for law firms and corporate legal departments. Its matter-centric structure aligns seamlessly with legal workflows, simplifying the process of archiving client communications and case files for long-term storage.

Supported Regulations

NetDocuments adheres to major data protection standards, including GDPR, HIPAA, LGPD (Brazil's data protection law), and SOC 2 Type 2. It also complies with ISO 27001, 27017, 27018, and 27701 standards. For public sector organizations, the platform is preparing for the 2027 legal sector requirement for FedRAMP Authorized technology. Toh Kok Seng from Lee & Lee highlighted the platform's reliability:

"With NetDocuments in place, we can confidently give [clients] peace of mind, knowing that our documents will always remain secure while also meeting their compliance needs".

These compliance measures provide a strong foundation for secure and reliable data retention.

Retention Policies

NetDocuments simplifies security and retention with automated classification and data loss prevention (DLP) tools. The platform's built-in data retention policies allow firms to automate document lifecycle management, ensuring storage durations align with information sensitivity and legal mandates. It also supports "ethical walls" through granular access controls at the user, document, and workspace levels, keeping sensitive information appropriately segregated.

Audit Trails

The platform includes comprehensive logs and file histories , accessible via an admin console. Additionally, the optional Analytics feature provides detailed insights into user activity and data usage, which can be invaluable during audits or investigations. This transparency ensures organizations can efficiently handle discovery requests or meet regulatory demands.

Encryption Standards

NetDocuments enhances security with advanced encryption protocols, protecting data both at rest and in transit. For organizations with strict data sovereignty needs, the platform offers customer-managed encryption keys (CMK) and geo-aware content storage. These features enable firms to control where their data is physically stored, ensuring compliance with regional data residency laws, such as those in the EU or jurisdictions with stringent localization requirements.

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2. OpenText Documentum

When it comes to cloud archiving tools designed to meet regulatory demands, OpenText Documentum earns attention for its ability to scale and its strong security framework. This enterprise-grade solution is tailored for industries like healthcare, finance, and government, where compliance is non-negotiable. OpenText Documentum is recognized as a "Top Player" in information archiving for its ability to handle billions of structured and unstructured records efficiently, all while maintaining strict lifecycle controls.

Supported Regulations

Documentum ensures compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, Dodd-Frank, and EMIR by integrating with OpenText Information Archive. It also supports GDPR requirements through features like data masking, encryption, and anonymization. Its encryption capabilities are backed by FIPS 140-2 certification and meet ISO/IEC 15408 standards, reinforcing its credibility for secure data management.

Retention Policies

The platform employs event-driven retention policies that activate based on specific milestones, such as the conclusion of a project or an employee's departure. Once a retention policy is in place, documents are safeguarded against manual deletion and can only be removed through a formal disposition process. The system allows for multiple retention policies on a single document, automatically calculating the eligibility date for disposition using metadata and policy rules. Additionally, legal holds take precedence over retention periods, ensuring documents remain intact until the hold is lifted. To maintain compliance, the system generates a destruction certification that documents all disposed records.

Audit Trails

OpenText Documentum logs every user and administrator action, creating a searchable audit trail. These detailed logs make it easier for organizations to handle regulatory reviews or respond to legal discovery requests by showing exactly who accessed or searched the archive.

Encryption Standards

The platform uses 256-bit AES encryption , a level of security recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as resistant to quantum threats for both commercial and government applications. It also incorporates NIST-standardized Format-Preserving Encryption (AES FF1) , which protects sensitive data while maintaining its usability for analytics and workflows. With stateless key management , encryption keys are generated dynamically, simplifying processes like backup and recovery. Impressively, OpenText security solutions protect more than 12 billion data events daily , serving enterprises worldwide.

These advanced security measures and compliance features make OpenText Documentum a strong contender among cloud archiving solutions, setting the stage for further exploration of other leading tools in this space.

3. Egnyte

Egnyte stands out for its ability to combine easy accessibility with strict compliance, earning the trust of over 23,000 customers globally. This cloud archiving solution incorporates AI-driven governance to streamline data lifecycle management. PCMag awarded Egnyte a 4.5/5 rating and recognized it as an Editors' Choice for business cloud storage. It not only meets stringent regulatory requirements but also simplifies the complexities of data retention.

Supported Regulations

Egnyte supports an extensive list of regulations, including GDPR, HIPAA, FINRA, SEC Rules 17a-3 and 17a-4, CCPA, CPRA, and GxP (21 CFR Part 11 and EU Annex 11). Additionally, it adheres to standards like CMMC 2.0, NIST 800-171 (DFARS), ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27018:2019, and SOC 2 SSAE 18 Type 2 certifications. For customers in Europe, Egnyte ensures data sovereignty by storing all metadata and data within European cloud repositories, keeping EU data strictly within the EU.

Retention Policies

Egnyte’s Content Lifecycle Management feature automates key processes like data retention, archival, and deletion. Administrators can use pre-built policy templates or design custom policies tailored to specific regulatory needs. The platform employs AI-powered classification to identify critical or sensitive data, automatically applying retention, archival, or deletion rules based on set parameters. It also supports defensible deletion , safely disposing of data once retention periods expire, which helps reduce both legal risks and storage expenses. A centralized dashboard provides a clear overview of content statuses, making management straightforward.

Audit Trails

Egnyte offers robust audit trail capabilities, logging detailed records of who accessed sensitive files and what actions were performed. The "Secure & Govern" feature consolidates reporting, enabling businesses to handle both internal and external audits with ease. These logs cover a range of activities, including file access, sharing, and usage patterns. For instance, Decibel Therapeutics adopted Egnyte to manage all documentation submitted to the FDA and similar regulatory bodies. Heather Wolff, Vice President of Clinical Development Operations, highlighted its importance:

"We are putting all documentation submitted to FDA and other regulatory agencies in Egnyte, so that now and in the future, people know where to find the actual documentation that was given to the agencies for review".

Encryption Standards

Egnyte ensures data protection with AES-256 encryption for data at rest. Customers can also leverage Egnyte Key Management (EKM) to maintain control over their encryption keys, providing greater authority over data decryption. The platform further enhances security with tools for PII protection, including scrambling, hashing, and encryption. Beyond encryption, Egnyte employs advanced security measures like ransomware detection with Snapshot Recovery, malware scanning, and behavioral analysis to identify unusual activities, such as unexpected mass downloads.

4. Box

Box is trusted by over 62,000 businesses, including 59% of the Fortune 500, making it a leading choice for cloud archiving focused on compliance. Unlike simple file storage solutions, Box treats files as governed business records, emphasizing policy controls, auditability, and lifecycle management. As of April 2026, PeerSpot users rated Box 8.4 out of 10, with 85% recommending it to other organizations. Following in the footsteps of Egnyte's AI-driven management, Box strengthens compliance with its governance and audit trail features.

Supported Regulations

Box complies with a wide range of regulations, including HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA, FedRAMP (Moderate Authorization), SEC Rule 17a-4(f), CCPA, and GxP (21 CFR Part 11). However, organizations needing HIPAA compliance must take an extra step - manually requesting and signing a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) through the Box Admin Console, as this feature isn’t automatically activated. It’s worth noting that HIPAA BAAs are not available for the Business Starter plan, making this tier unsuitable for regulated industries. Additionally, Box holds certifications for SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, ISO 27001, and ISO 27018.

Retention Policies

Box Governance offers flexible retention schedules that can be applied globally, to specific folders, or based on metadata and classification labels. Both adjustable and fixed retention policies are available to meet compliance needs. Retention periods can be tailored to match regulatory requirements. For content volumes exceeding 200,000 items, the disposition process may take up to 72 hours after the retention period ends. Event-based retention is also supported, allowing policies to activate following specific business events, such as contract expirations or employee departures.

Audit Trails

Box logs all file actions to maintain a detailed audit trail. Administrators can generate disposition reports to monitor content lifecycle actions and export legal hold data for eDiscovery purposes. Ahmed Rashad, Senior Projects Manager at Tech-hub, shared:

"Box's security features have helped my organization meet compliance needs".

For litigation purposes, Box allows content to be placed on legal hold indefinitely, targeting specific users or folders to prevent accidental or intentional deletion during ongoing legal matters.

Encryption Standards

Box uses a managed encryption model, where it retains the encryption keys. This means Box staff can technically access file content if needed for support. The platform holds FedRAMP Moderate authorization and safeguards data with AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS 1.2 or higher during transit. Administrators are responsible for configuring sharing defaults and link passwords to maintain compliance.

5. Laserfiche

Laserfiche stands out as a leading cloud archiving tool, particularly for industries with strict regulatory requirements. It boasts a 4.7/5 rating on G2, earning the top spot in Document Management and the "Customers' Choice" title in the 2025 Voice of the Customer report. The platform is certified under ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and holds SOC 2 Type 2 Plus attestation.

Supported Regulations

Laserfiche supports a wide range of regulatory frameworks, including HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, PIPEDA, FERPA, and SEC Rule 17a-4. It also aligns with NIST 800-53 and DoD 5015.2 standards for records management. Andrew McElrath, Strategic Project Manager at Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, highlighted the platform's security focus:

"Laserfiche's compliance tools in the cloud, and knowing that Laserfiche takes security very seriously have been important factors in our decision making."

The platform is expected to achieve GovRamp Core Verified and CJIS Ready status by Q3 2026.

Retention Policies

Laserfiche simplifies document retention with automated schedules based on specific timeframes, events, or document updates. It supports both permanent destruction and "Accession", which transfers records to an archival authority. Even after document destruction, metadata and records history are preserved, providing proof of compliance. For added protection during litigation, the platform offers legal holds in its Business tier, priced at $93 per user/month (billed annually).

Audit Trails

To ensure transparency, Laserfiche generates comprehensive audit logs tracking user actions like viewing, editing, creating, or deleting documents and metadata. The Business tier includes advanced reporting features that monitor changes to access rights, security settings, and password policies. Gloria St. Denis, Records Management Consultant at Orano, shared:

"With a transparent records management strategy, we're going beyond thinking of Laserfiche as just a place to put electronic documents."

These detailed logs seamlessly integrate into broader compliance strategies.

Encryption Standards

Laserfiche employs AES-256 encryption for data at rest and TLS 1.2+ encryption for data in transit, with Perfect Forward Secrecy enhancing security. Encrypted backups are stored in geographically separate data centers. For organizations needing SEC Rule 17a-4 compliance, Laserfiche Vault provides a strict compliance mode with WORM-like storage, ensuring records remain unaltered or undeleted prematurely.

6. FileCloud

FileCloud provides a comprehensive platform for managing compliance, earning a 4.6/5 rating on Gartner Peer Insights and receiving multiple Customers' Choice Distinctions. A key feature is its Compliance Center , which aligns regulatory requirements with actionable security measures and generates status reports to highlight potential violations.

Supported Regulations

FileCloud supports an array of regulations, including GDPR, HIPAA, ITAR, NIST 800-171, CCPA, FINRA , and Saudi Arabian PDPL. Its Smart Content Classification system uses metadata and PII tagging to identify and secure sensitive data, simplifying compliance with rules governing health and financial records. Additionally, it allows organizations to meet data sovereignty mandates by ensuring data is stored within specific geographic regions, as required by regulations like GDPR and PDPL.

Retention Policies

The platform offers five distinct retention policies: Admin Hold, Legal Hold, Archival, Retention, and Trash Retention. These policies follow a hierarchy to resolve conflicts - Admin Hold, for example, overrides all others to block updates or deletions. FileCloud also supports HIPAA rule 164.316(b) by enabling a retention policy of 2,193 days, ensuring records are kept for over six years. The Smart Content Classification feature further enhances compliance by automatically applying retention rules to files based on metadata and pattern matching during indexing.

Audit Trails

FileCloud maintains detailed audit logs, capturing file actions, timestamps, user details, device information, and IP addresses for reporting and audits. These logs, exportable in CSV format, track every operation - whether access, modification, or deletion - along with the client used (web, mobile, or sync). Administrators can also monitor devices in real-time and remotely wipe FileCloud data from lost or stolen devices.

Encryption Standards

FileCloud uses AES 256-bit encryption for data at rest and SSL/TLS for data in transit, while also holding FIPS 140-2 certification. Its Zero Trust File Sharing feature enables users to create encrypted Zip files that bypass system scans, accessible only with the proper encryption key. Additional security measures include automatic antivirus scanning, heuristic ransomware protection, and Content Disarm & Reconstruction (CDR), which neutralizes zero-day threats by safely reconstructing files. With 92% of users willing to recommend FileCloud, the platform has demonstrated its ability to meet strict compliance standards.

Next, we’ll take a closer look at Amazon WorkDocs to round out our review of top compliance tools.

7. Amazon WorkDocs

Amazon WorkDocs is built on AWS's enterprise-level security, offering robust cloud archiving capabilities. It holds an 8.0/10 rating on PeerSpot , with 100% of surveyed users recommending it. The platform is HIPAA Eligible , PCI DSS compliant , and certified for key industry standards. Additionally, all AWS services, including WorkDocs, comply with GDPR requirements, and administrators can choose the specific AWS Region for data storage to meet local data residency laws.

Retention Policies

WorkDocs provides flexible retention management tailored to regulatory needs. Administrators can define retention periods ranging from 0 to 365 days, with a default setting of 60 days. Deleted files first move to an end-user recycle bin for 30 days before transitioning to an admin-controlled recovery bin. For long-term storage, WorkDocs integrates seamlessly with Amazon S3 and S3 Glacier using AWS Lambda. Each account includes 1 TB of storage and unlimited file versioning. These features ensure compliance by automating document lifecycle processes.

Audit Trails

WorkDocs offers robust auditing tools to track user activity and maintain compliance. The Activity Feed provides real-time tracking by file, folder, or user, while AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls for detailed audit reporting. Files can also be locked during editing to prevent unauthorized changes, ensuring document integrity during reviews. The platform integrates with Amazon SNS for instant notifications. However, some users noted that the auditing features could be improved to meet specific compliance requirements.

Encryption Standards

WorkDocs prioritizes security with AES-256 encryption for data at rest and SSL/TLS for data in transit. A role-based access model assigns one of four roles (Owner, Co-owner, Contributor, Viewer), and administrators can restrict external sharing to certain domains or disable it altogether. Additional security measures include Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Single Sign-On (SSO), and Active Directory integration. IP-based allow lists limit access to designated corporate networks, and remote file rendering via HTML allows users to view documents without downloading, reducing malware risks. A Senior Software Engineer on PeerSpot praised the platform's versatility:

"Amazon WorkDocs can be integrated with AWS Lambda and used with step functions... The integration capabilities of WorkDocs with other AWS services are strong".

These features demonstrate how WorkDocs combines security, compliance, and integration to meet enterprise needs effectively.

Feature Comparison Table

The table below highlights the key compliance features of several tools, helping you weigh their capabilities in compliance, retention, security, and pricing.

Tool	Supported Regulations	Retention Policies	Audit Trails	Encryption Standards	Starting Price
NetDocuments	HIPAA, GDPR, SOX	Automated, customizable retention policies	Comprehensive audit logs	AES-256 at rest, TLS in transit	Custom pricing
OpenText Documentum	FINRA, SEC Rule 17a-4, HIPAA, GDPR	WORM storage with configurable retention periods	Detailed audit trails with compliance reporting	AES-256 encryption, FIPS 140-2 validated	Custom pricing
Egnyte	HIPAA, GDPR, SOX, FINRA	Automated retention with legal hold capabilities	Real-time activity monitoring and compliance reports	AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit	Custom pricing
Box	HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA	Flexible retention policies with automated workflows	Complete audit logs with advanced search capabilities	AES-256 encryption, FIPS 140-2 compliant	Custom pricing
Laserfiche	HIPAA, GDPR, SOX	Records management with configurable retention schedules	Full audit trails with tamper-proof logging	AES-256 at rest, SSL/TLS in transit	Custom pricing
FileCloud	HIPAA, GDPR, SOX	Customizable retention rules with automated enforcement	Activity tracking and compliance reporting	AES-256 at rest, TLS in transit	Custom pricing
Amazon WorkDocs	HIPAA, GDPR	0–365 day retention with S3 Glacier integration	AWS CloudTrail logging and Activity Feed	AES-256 at rest, SSL/TLS in transit	$5/user/month

For financial firms operating under SEC Rule 17a-4 and FINRA regulations, WORM storage is a must-have for tamper-proof archiving. OpenText Documentum provides built-in WORM storage, while other tools may rely on integrations with specialized storage solutions to meet these standards, as discussed earlier.

Although Amazon WorkDocs offers an entry price of $5 per user per month, the total cost of ownership (TCO) over several years depends on factors like data volume, storage tier expenses, retrieval fees, and egress charges. When evaluating long-term storage solutions, these cost factors, along with compliance capabilities, play a critical role in decision-making. This comparison underscores how each tool addresses strict regulatory needs while catering to diverse operational demands.

Conclusion

Choosing a cloud archiving tool goes far beyond simply storing data - it’s about creating a solid compliance framework that can handle audits, legal challenges, and regulatory scrutiny. Barry Kunst, VP of Marketing at Solix Technologies, puts it best:

"Long term archiving programs succeed or fail based on operational TCO over 5 to 10 years, not year-one spend".

Start by working with your legal and compliance teams to outline retention schedules, legal hold procedures, and disposition rules. This groundwork ensures that the archiving features you evaluate align with your specific regulatory needs - whether it’s meeting SEC Rule 17a-4’s WORM requirements for financial firms, HIPAA’s encryption standards for healthcare organizations, or GDPR’s data residency mandates for businesses operating in Europe.

Regularly test your system’s ability to retrieve data. This ensures that archived information remains searchable, accessible, and exportable, all while maintaining a clear chain of custody. After all, the ultimate test of an archiving solution is how it performs when faced with audits or eDiscovery requests.

When comparing vendors, take a long-term view by requesting detailed cost breakdowns. This should include storage growth projections, retrieval and egress fees, and any potential migration costs. These insights will help you calculate the 10-year total cost of ownership (TCO), ensuring your solution is both compliant and operationally efficient.

The right archiving tool will align with your industry’s regulations, the types of data you handle, and your long-term business strategy. By following these steps - from policy planning to system testing and cost analysis - you’ll build a compliance framework capable of meeting the regulatory challenges outlined in this guide. For more tips on optimizing your compliance tech stack, check out StackRundown.

FAQs

What makes cloud archiving different from backups?

Cloud archiving and backups serve distinct purposes and operate differently. Backups are all about creating copies of active data, allowing for quick recovery in the event of data loss or system failure. On the other hand, archives are designed for long-term storage and compliance needs.

Archives typically hold static, historical data and come with features like immutability and audit trails , which help maintain data integrity and meet legal requirements. While backups focus on operational recovery, archiving prioritizes data preservation and adherence to regulatory standards.

Do I need WORM storage to meet SEC Rule 17a-4?

Yes, SEC Rule 17a-4 mandates the use of WORM (Write Once, Read Many) storage. This ensures electronic records are stored in a format that cannot be erased or altered. The rule plays a crucial role in maintaining compliance and ensuring records are preserved for long-term retention.

How do I estimate the 10-year total cost of cloud archiving?

To calculate the 10-year cost of cloud archiving, you need to consider a few key factors: storage fees , data write and retrieval costs , and any rehydration expenses that might come into play. Start by multiplying your total data size (in GB) by the archive storage rate. Then, add costs for data write operations and retrievals.

Keep in mind that pricing can vary based on factors like how much data you store , how often you access it , and how long it's stored. Don’t forget to account for potential data growth and the possibility of changing storage rates over the decade. These variables can significantly influence your total cost.

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