eDiscovery Collection, Processing, Hosting and Production
eDiscovery Sized to the Case, Not to the Vendor
A discovery demand has landed, the stipulation is full of technical terms and the vendor quote is larger than the case. Global Digital Forensics collects, processes, hosts and produces electronic evidence on software we own, so the scope and the cost follow the matter rather than a platform minimum. We test the sources, custodians and search terms with counsel first, then put the plan and its price in writing before any data moves.
Discovery Budgets Are Lost Before Collection Starts
Most discovery budgets are lost in the first two decisions: how much to collect and how much to put in front of reviewers. A broad demand or an untested keyword list sends large volumes of irrelevant material into processing and review, and every gigabyte that should never have been collected is paid for three times, at collection, at hosting and at review. We test the data sources, the custodians, the dates and the search terms before the workflow and the budget are set.
Our proposal names the actual software version, the supported sources, the export formats and the hosting controls, and it compares collection volume, processing, hosting duration, users, review and production charges so you can see the total cost and what GDF owned tools contribute to lowering it. Once the custodians, period and search protocol are agreed, we validate exclusions with recorded samples and exception review, preserve families, conversation context and responsive linked content where available, and report population counts and open sources by name, so every number in the report can be checked.
The hosting plan identifies the provider, data location, access roles, security, support, retention and exit arrangements, and we confirm commercial terms, any external processing and specialist responsibilities before the engagement proceeds, so the client understands the service and the later handoff.
Bring the request, the keyword list and any vendor quote to a free initial consultation and the collection, processing and hosting scope goes into writing before you commit to any of it.
The engagement
Discovery Scaled From AmLaw 100 Firms to Solo Practitioners
Global Digital Forensics has operated since 1992 and helps attorneys with discovery at every scale, from AmLaw 100 firms to small and midsize businesses that have never heard of a load file. We review the technical demands of a proposed stipulation or request with counsel, then plan collection, processing, hosting and production around the evidence that matters.
Start wherever the matter stands, with or without an eDiscovery plan or a technical background. Tell us where the matter stands, what has been requested and when you must respond. We explain each step in plain language, set the priorities and stay with you through production.
Small and midsize businesses need discovery scaled to their resources, and most vendors are not built for them. GDF owns its software and develops the internal tools that let us plan processing and hosting around the matter rather than around a platform’s minimum fee. Focused collection, duplicate removal and an efficient review workflow cut the handling that drives discovery cost.
If the current vendor quote is more than the client can bear, bring us the quote and the scope. We will identify what is driving the cost, propose a more efficient approach and explain the collection, processing, review and hosting options before you commit to any of them.
Scope
Stipulations and discovery demands
We review the technical requirements, including sources, search methods, metadata, file formats and delivery, and surface the practical problems before the workflow and budget are set.
Keyword lists and relevant data
We develop and test keywords, phrases, date ranges and other filters, and use search results and sample review to refine the response around the issues in the matter.
Collection with less disruption
We collect from computers, mobile phones, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and other business sources, and guided remote collection reduces travel, shipping and disruption for your client.
Processing with GDF owned tools
Our internal tools collect and process data, remove duplicates, filter recognized system files, prepare searchable material and build load files for review, so unnecessary volume never reaches the reviewers.
Hosting that fits the client
We design processing and hosting around the data volume, the reviewers, the access needs and the expected duration of the matter, and small and midsize businesses get a plan scaled to their resources.
Production and expert support
We produce to the agreed format with supporting records, and our forensic experts explain collection and processing methods through reports, affidavits, deposition and testimony.
Methodology
From Discovery Request to Production in Four Steps
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Discuss the case and budget
We review the request, the proposed stipulation, the deadlines, the sources and the client’s resources so the plan reflects the case and the budget rather than a template.
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Focus the scope
We help the legal team test terms, dates and sources, then plan preservation and collection so the technical response stays proportionate to the dispute.
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Collect, process and review
We preserve source data, remove duplicates and prepare the agreed review set with GDF tools and hosting, with every processing exception documented.
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Produce and explain
We validate and deliver the agreed files and production records, and our experts explain the process where required, so both the data and the method can be traced.
These are the same four steps our examiners have explained under oath, so if you want to know who would describe them in your matter, review the forensic team and their credentials.
Evidence commonly examined
Evidence sources we collect and process
Custodian computers and mobile devices supply the endpoint content. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace supply the business suite records, file shares and cloud repositories hold the documents and their context, and email archives and journals preserve message and retention history. Databases and structured exports need an agreed selection and delivery approach, and collaboration and messaging platforms contribute conversations and attachments where they were retained.
What you can expect
Your discovery plan, review data and production
The technical review turns stipulations, demands and keyword lists into practical requirements before anything is collected. The collection, processing and hosting plan sets scope and cost before the engagement proceeds. Searchable data, agreed load files and production packages support the chosen review and delivery workflow, and collection records, processing documentation and expert support explain how the data was handled.
If a production deadline is already set, call (800) 868-8189 and we will tell you which of these deliverables can be ready in time and in what order.
Plan Your Discovery Scope and Budget With an Examiner
Tell us the discovery request, the likely sources, the deadline and the budget, and we will plan collection, processing and the production package your legal team needs. In one class action a New York firm faced two terabytes of raw financial data, millions of documents and emails and source code from a legacy mainframe with no access to the live system. GDF extracted the email and document metadata, correlated it into timelines with link analysis tools we developed, and the firm kept us on for later discovery requests and deposition support.
Read the data discovery case study, then ask which of our examiners would handle your production.
Get a Free ConsultationScope discovery before the first call
Scope the Discovery Before Anyone Collects
Most discovery cost is set in the first week, when someone decides which custodians, systems and dates to collect. Each pack below lists the devices, mailboxes, cloud accounts and business systems that usually hold the evidence in that kind of matter, with the questions to put to the client’s IT staff and record owners.
The pack that matches your case lets the scoping call start from a source list instead of a blank page.
Read every guide freely. Choose a download, then share your work email and company or skip. Your selected file starts immediately.
Discuss your evidence and deadline
Primary Data Sources in Employee Departure Matters
Identify devices, mail, cloud storage, archives, backups and logs to discuss with counsel and client IT.
File: ZIP: source guide, checklists and sample questions.
Key Data Sources in Commercial and Contract Litigation
Locate contracts, messages, collaboration records and business system data, with questions for counsel and system owners.
File: ZIP: source guide, checklists and sample questions.
Data Sources in Medical Matters
Identify records in EMRs, practice systems, portals and logs, then document custodians, retention and access questions.
File: ZIP: source guide, checklists and sample questions.
Browse all preparation packages by subject.
Each overview shows the source guide, checklists and sample questions inside the pack before you download it.
Frequently asked
Stipulations, Budgets, Keywords and Remote Collection
Can you help me with an eDiscovery stipulation?
Yes. GDF helps attorneys with eDiscovery at every scale. We review the technical requirements in stipulations, discovery demands and keyword lists, identify the data sources and formats involved and build a practical workflow with counsel before anything is agreed with the other side.
I have no eDiscovery experience. Can GDF guide me through the process?
Yes. We explain the process in plain language and work through preservation, collection, searches, processing, review, hosting and production with you. Start with the request and the deadline; we will set out the next steps and the decision each one calls for.
My eDiscovery vendor is too expensive. What if my client does not have the budget?
Bring us the scope and the quote. GDF owns its software and develops its own internal tools, which lets us design collection, processing and hosting around the matter, remove duplicate and unnecessary material early and fit the workflow to your client’s resources.
Can you help narrow a broad discovery request or keyword list?
Yes. We help litigators assess the data sources, dates and search terms, test the searches and examine the results. That work focuses the technical response on relevant material and reduces unnecessary review, cost and exposure.
Do you provide hosting for small and midsize businesses?
Yes. GDF designs processing and hosting scaled to the matter, the data volume, the review team and the budget. Owning our software gives us the flexibility to build a practical approach for clients with limited resources rather than forcing them into a platform minimum.
Can you collect email, cloud files and mobile messages remotely?
Yes. We provide guided remote collection from supported phones, computers, email accounts and cloud storage, coordinated with counsel and the client so the evidence is preserved with documented handling and the collection stays convenient for the people involved.
Can you support production and expert testimony?
Yes. We prepare production in the agreed format with the supporting collection and processing records, and our qualified experts provide reports, affidavits, deposition and trial testimony on the methods when required.
Talk with an examiner
Build a Discovery Plan Your Client Can Afford
Tell us the systems, the evidence and the deadline. We review relevant experience, potential conflicts and the scope before engagement, and the first consultation is free.
GDF has operated since 1992 and provides court tested forensic expertise.
Talk with an examiner
Bring the Request and the Quote to a Senior Examiner
Bring the request or the vendor quote to a free first call. A senior examiner finds what is driving the volume and the cost, then outlines a collection, review and production plan scaled to your client.
Our 24/7 hotline is (800) 868-8189.
Reviewed by Joseph Caruso, Founder, CEO and CTO, CISSP. Last reviewed .