In this article you will learn about:
When you connect your applications and create your collections, you are able to choose how Onna collects and stores your data. Onna supports three default sync modes: one-time sync, auto-sync, and auto-sync and archive. However, please note, that all three sync modes may not be available to you as the types of sync modes available are based on the connector you’re using.
Learn more connector specific sync information here.
When initially setting up your sync and defining the sync date ranges, if you choose to leave a date blank, consider that Onna is only able to sync files that are currently available in your origin data source. If the sync date range you set in Onna exceeds the date range of the retention policy set in your application, Onna won’t be able to sync files that are outside such range.
One-Time Sync
How it Works:
A one-time sync collects the data available at that moment within the date range you choose. If no date is chosen, Onna will collect all historic data available in the original source up to the current date.
Once the sync is complete, Onna will not monitor your source application for new or changed data. When data is added, changed, or deleted from your origin source, Onna will not reflect that in your sync. To get updated data for that source you would need to run another one-time sync.
Use Case Notes:
One-time sync keeps your Onna data usage low, as the size of your collection won't increase after the sync and processing have fully completed. However, with this option updating your data will require another full sync.
Auto-Sync
How it Works
With the auto-sync mode, Onna connects to your origin data source and collects data available at that moment, starting from the date you choose. If no date is chosen, Onna will collect all data available and continue to monitor your source application for new or changed data at regular sync intervals.
This mode should reflect the most up to date resources from your data source. Meaning, when resources are added, changed, or deleted from the origin data source, the same happens in Onna.
Auto-sync reflects existing retention policies set up within the origin data source. When files are deleted from your origin data source due to retention, they are also deleted from Onna.
Use Case Notes
This sync mode is useful for longer or ongoing matters, where files have higher chances of changing over time. Changes are synced incrementally, which reduces the time to complete each sync and the amount of data processed each time. This also means that the most recent data becomes available faster in Onna.
Auto-Sync and Archive
How it Works
With auto-sync and archive mode, as when using auto-sync mode, Onna connects to your origin data source and collects the data available at that moment, starting from the date you choose. If you don’t choose any, Onna will collect all data available and continue to monitor your source application for new or changed data at regular sync intervals.
This mode should reflect the most up to date resources from your data source. However, in comparison to the auto-sync mode, Onna stores a copy of deleted files. This means that, when files are added or changed in your origin data source, the same happens in Onna. However, when files are deleted from the origin data source, the last version before they were deleted remains available in Onna.
Use Case Notes
Like with the auto-sync mode, choose this mode when you want faster access to the most recent data and at the same time ensure that you still keep a copy of deleted files.
An additional benefit of the auto-sync and archive mode is that you can apply a shorter retention period to the data in your application, because a copy is always kept in Onna. For example, you can use this sync mode to store data that you want to keep from an application that your organization is about to decommission.
Tracking deletions adapts to how each application is built. For this reason, the way Onna displays deleted files varies from application to application.
File Versioning vs Archiving
If you know our file versioning feature, you may be wondering whether it can replace the auto-sync and archive mode. We consider them complementary features. Here’s why:
- The main difference is that file versioning allows you to see various versions of the same record that are collected from the moment you enable the feature. Auto-sync and archive ensures that a copy of deleted files is kept in Onna, but only shows the most recent version of deleted files. For example, if a record is deleted from your application, Onna will store only the last version available before it was deleted.
- Another difference lies in their scope. File versioning applies to all your applications and active collections, while the auto-sync and archive mode applies to only the specific collection(s) it has been applied to.
- A final difference is how deleted files are handled. With file versioning enabled, if a record is deleted from your application, it will also be deleted from Onna at the next sync. The auto-sync and archive mode will instead keep files even if they’re deleted from your application.
Versions of a record start to be collected when an Onna admin enables file versioning. Until file versioning is enabled, you will always see only the most recent version of the file, even if you selected the auto-sync and archive mode for your collection.
Use Case Notes
If you want to keep a copy of your deleted files but also track all the changes made to them, you must enable both file versioning and create a collection selecting auto-sync and archive. When tracking changes within a specific date range, remember that only changes that took place within the range can be tracked.
Note: Some applications, like Slack Enterprise or Quip Enterprise, allow you to see a full record of the changes even if you haven't enabled file versioning. However, that does not depend on Onna, but on the change tracking feature being enabled in your application. For further information, check your application's specific documentation.
Versioning adapts to how each application is built. For this reason, the way Onna displays the changes made to files varies from application to application.