Why is eDiscovery difficult in the cloud?

The difficulty of eDiscovery in the cloud often arises from the fact that the client may lack the necessary credentials to access the required data. In cloud environments, data is often stored in a manner that separates user data from the underlying infrastructure. As a result, clients might not have direct access to all their data—particularly when it comes to data stored across different regions or within the shared environment of a multitenant system.

This lack of access can complicate the eDiscovery process, which typically requires a thorough retrieval of specific data needed for legal or compliance purposes. If the client does not possess the right credentials or permissions, they may not be able to effectively search, retrieve, or review the data in question in a timely manner. This situation necessitates relying on the cloud service provider to assist with access, which can introduce delays and challenges if the provider has specific protocols regarding data access.

In contrast, the other factors mentioned do not directly address the core issue of access that hinders eDiscovery. For instance, while the eDiscovery process may indeed be time-consuming and responsibilities in data management exist, those aspects are secondary to the primary challenge of obtaining access to the data needed for legal inquiries.