How to Search and Archive Messages Using Barracuda Archive Search for Outlook

This article refers to the Barracuda Message Archiver firmware 5.2 or higher, and Barracuda Archive Search for Outlook version 5.2 or higher. Barracuda Archive Search for Outlook supports Outlook versions 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Outlook for Microsoft 365.

Note the following are not supported by Archive Search for Outlook:

• Outlook for Mac versions
• New version of Windows Mail, Outlook for Windows

Verify the Archive Search for Outlook version (available for download on the USERS > Client Downloads page in the Barracuda Message Archiver web interface) is the same major revision as the Barracuda Message Archiver firmware for proper functionality.

See also:

Watch this video for a short walkthrough of Archive Search for Outlook:

The Archive Search for Outlook default search results count is 1,000 messages. For best results, refine your search criteria.

If you are performing large or complex search queries, or a search for the purpose of litigation, Barracuda Networks recommends using the Advanced Search option from the BASIC > Search page in the Barracuda Message Archiver web interface. For additional guidance, see the following articles:

• Understanding Basic and Advanced Search
• Advanced Search Tips
• Advanced Search Options
• Search Strings
• Keyword Expressions
• Working with Apostrophes and Other Punctuation
• Saved Searches and Litigation Holds(auditor role)

Search Archived Items

To search archived items, click the Search Archive () icon to open the Barracuda Message Archiver Search dialog box:

• Look for drop-down menu – Select the type of item you wish to search for; select Any type of Item, Appointments, Contacts, Messages, Notes, Social Media, or Tasks
• In drop-down list – Select the search location:
  • All data – Search everywhere in the selected item type
  • Specific folders – Click Specific folders, or click Browse to select one or more folders across all of your Archive stores in which to search; click OK to save your selections
  • Entire message
  • Subject or body
  • Subject only
  • Body only
  • Keyword expression

  The administrator can associate an LDAP user or group to a role and list of email addresses in the USERS > LDAP User Add/Update page. If addresses are excluded, and a configured user runs a search through Archive Search for Outlook, the following rules apply:

  • If an address is excluded (blocked), the address does not display unless the mail includes the user performing the search to assure that a user can always see their own mail.
  • The exclusion rules always take precedence; addresses that are allowed are searchable only if the exclusion rules do not block the mail.
  • If a user is not configured and is a member of a group, then the allow and block rules assigned to that group apply to that user.
  • If a user is assigned to a group, when the user logs in via Archive Search for Outlook , only that user’s mail displays. For example, if an LDAP user has the Auditor role, mail available to the Auditor role does not display.

  Logic Operators

  Build search queries using AND, OR, NOT, and -term.

  When including more than one logic operator in a query, the order in which these terms are placed is important. For example,

  1. Add the first term "A", and then add term "and B"; the query searches as: (A AND B)
  2. Add a term "OR C"; the query searches as: ((A AND B) OR C)
  3. Add a term "AND D"; the query searches as: (((A AND B) OR C) AND D)
  4. Add a term "NOT E", the query searches as: ((((A AND B) OR C) AND D) NOT E)

  Typically, you first build a population of results by using "OR" or "NOT", and then subtract items from that population by using "AND".

  To force a different order of operations, place parentheses yourself using Keyword expression.

  Keyword Expressions

  When you enter a logic operator or a keyword expression in the Search for field, the rest of your search criteria is AND'd with the query. For example, if you enter "A AND -B" you can still specify a recipient in the Sent To field.

  Table 1. Commonly Used search_field Keyword Expression Values.

  Term	Description	Search Type
  to	Search is limited to the To and Cc fields of each message	Text
  from	Search is limited to the From field of each message	Text
  domain	Search is limited to the domain names in the From, To, and Cc fields of each message	Domain
  subject	Search is limited to the Subject line of each message	Text
  body	Searches are performed in the Body of each message as well as in the contents of any message attachments	Text
  attachment	Search is limited to the contents of message attachments	Text
  all	Searches all fields and all data contained in each message	Text
  stored_size	The actual message size on disk	Integer number
  size	The raw size of the message	Integer number
  header_date	The date header from the mail	Text
  header_barracuda_envelope_rcpt_pretty_name	The envelope recipient's pretty name	Text
  header_barracuda_envelope_rcpt_user	The envelope recipient	Text
  header_bcc	The Bcc: header	Text
  header_to	The To: header	Text
  header_in_reply_to	The In reply to: header	Text
  header_barracuda_envelope_rcpt_domain	The domain of the envelope recipient	Text
  header_from	The From: header	Text
  header_barracuda_envelope_rcpt_message_mode	Inbound / Outbound / Internal	Text
  header_barracuda_envelope_rcpt_addr	Email address of envelope recipient	Text
  header_subject	Subject of the email	Text
  header_message_id	The message ID header	Text
  object_type	Type of entry (calendar, mail, etc.)	Text
  body_excerpt	The body of the email	Text
  attachment_name	The attachment name	Text
  attachment_mimetype	The attachment MIME type	Text
  attachment_extension	The attachment's extension	Text

  You may specify other search_field values as long as the correct name for the field is used. Consult Barracuda Networks Technical Support if you are unsure of the exact syntax.

  The phrase can only contain a single item. However, that one item can be any one of the items described in Table 2.

  Table 2. Phrase Values.

  • Sales matches sales guide but not salesmen
  • "Reviews due now" matches performance reviews due now but does not match reviews for all employees are due now

  A single integer string in bytes to be matched exactly to an index attribute as entered. Valid formats are: a single number (with no whitespace). To find a range, use a Compound Search String.

  • stored_size:100 matches all emails with an actual message size on disk of 100 bytes

  Single Wildcarded string

  • nation*matches this nation and nationality
  • luck?matches lucky but not luck
  • J. sonmatches Johnson but not Jason because the number of question marks denotes the exact number of characters to be matched

  The domain part, or everything after the at-sign (@), of an email.

  A combination of two or more strings in any of the above formats (Text-based, Multi-Text, Wildcard, or Domain as applicable to the fields being searched) or with other Compound search strings, each separated by the keywords AND, OR or NOT. Surround logical groupings with parentheses as needed to determine order of operations. You can also use the Google syntax -term to exclude content.

  Important

  When creating compound search strings, the keywords 'AND', 'OR', and 'NOT' must be capitalized.

  • body:(Version AND (1.1* OR 1.2*)) matches items whose body contains, in any order, BOTH the word "version" and a word that starts with either "1.1" or "1.2"
    
  • (from:(barracuda.com OR barracudanetworks.com) AND body:datasheets)matches all items that were sent from any user in either the "barracuda.com" or "barracudanetworks.com" domains that ALSO contain the word "datasheets" omewhere in the body of the item
  • (from:(barracuda.com NOT barracudanetworks.com) AND (Archiver AND -archives) matches all items that were sent from any user in the "barracuda.com" domains that ALSO contain the word "Archiver" somewhere in the body of the item

  Table 3. Sample Keyword Expressions.

  to:chrislee	All messages that have "chrislee" in the To or Cc fields.
  to:patbrown@mycompany.com	All messages containing "patbrown@mycompany.com" anywhere in the To field.
  subject:"Barracuda Message Archiver"	All messages that contain the exact phrase "Barracuda Message Archiver" anywhere in the Subject line.
  domain:(barracuda.com OR barracudanetworks.com)	All messages that were sent to or from any user in either the "barracuda.com" or "barracudanetworks.com" domain.
  header_barracuda_envelope_rcpt_domain:sub.mycompany.com	All messages sent to any user in the @sub.mycompany.com domain.

  Table 4. Sample Proximity Syntax.

  For the keyword proximity syntax form, each keyword must be in a single Text-based string. Enter the keyword proximity syntax as search_field:"keyword keyword"~NumericValue, where search_field is the part of the email to search through.

  subject:"release Barracuda"~4	All messages containing "release" and "Barracuda" in the Subject field within four words of each other.
  to:"Zac Britt"~4	All messages containing "Zac" and "Britt" anywhere in the To field within four words of each other.

  Table 5. Sample Fuzzy Search Syntax.

  Fuzzy search allows you to find words that are similar to a specified search term. For the fuzzy search syntax, enter a single keyword followed by the tilde (~). For the fuzzy search syntax form, the keyword must be in a single Text-based string.

  roam~

  All messages containing words similar to roam, for example, foam, roams.

  Search Criteria

  The available search criteria differs based on the selected searched item type.

  Table 6. Search Criteria.

  Any Type of Item

  You must specify at least one search criteria to complete a search; if you specify multiple criteria, only messages that meet all criteria are returned.

  Keywords must be alpha-numeric characters, and are not case sensitive. Additionally, you can use wildcards to represent one or more other characters.

  Table 7. Wildcards.

  The first character of a keyword cannot be a wildcard, and wildcards cannot be used when searching for a quote phrase.

  Advanced Search Criteria

  Click the Advanced tab in the Barracuda Message Archiver Search dialog box to specify additional search criteria based on attachments and tags, and save your search criteria.

  Any search criteria specified in the Advanced tab is used in conjunction with the criteria specified in the selected search item type search tab. Keywords in the Advanced tab must be alpha-numeric characters, and are not case sensitive. You can include wildcards in the Attachment Name field (refer to Table 3 below for more information).

  Table 8. Advanced Search Criteria.

  Tag(s) on which to search. Wildcards are NOT accepted in this field.

  Tags are defined and set on messages in the Barracuda Message Archiver web interface. If tags are defined and set on messages, you can use these tags in this field to quickly locate the messages. Options are Any or Specific tags. Contact your system administrator for more information.

  Run a search based on a previously saved search.

  Message Results

  All messages that match the specified criteria are returned in the search window. Double-click an item to open it in Outlook, or right-click to select an action to perform on the selected item, as described in Table 9.

  Table 9. Available Actions.

  Opens the Select Folder dialog box in Outlook from which you can select a folder to which to copy the selected item(s). Use Ctrl- or Shift-click to select and copy multiple messages in the returned search window to a folder. Select from your existing folders, or create a new folder for the selected item(s).

  Important
  If the Outlook window is hidden or in the background, you may need to click on the Windows taskbar and bring Outlook to the foreground to complete this action.

  Archive Messages

  Items archived or stubbed using the Archive Search for Outlook buttons have a 300MB size limit.

  

  Archive Search for Outlook includes an option to immediately archive a selected item(s) to the Barracuda Message Archiver. Additionally, if the Automatically stub attachments when archiving option is turned on, and you click the Archive Attachments () icon:

  • A copy of the complete selected item(s) is stored on the Barracuda Message Archiver
  • On your mail server, any message attachments that are in the body of an original message(s) are replaced with references to the archived attachment on the Barracuda Message Archiver

  This process is known as "attachment stubbing" and helps to reduce the size of both your personal inbox and mail server storage.

  To archive a message,

  

  1. Select the desired item(s) in Outlook, and click the Archive Attachments () icon; a progress window displays while the item(s) are archived.
  2. Once the item(s) are successfully archived, any message attachments display as hyperlinks in the Outlook message preview. Click on a hyperlink to view the attachment.
  3. Double-click the archived message to open it in the message view; attachments display with icons as they normally would in Outlook.
  4. When you click the attachment hyperlink or double-click the archived message, the attachment is retrieved form the Barracuda Message Archiver, allowing you to view or save it in the same manner as an attachment in any other message.

  • Using this feature immediately sends the message for archiving; however, if the Barracuda Message Archiver is currently in the midst of archiving other messages, it may be a matter of minutes or even hours before the archived attachments are available. Once archived, the message appears in Archive Search for Outlook search results.
  • Forwarding an archived message automatically includes any attachments in that message as part of the forwarded message. However, a reply to such a message does not automatically include attachments, and the original archived message remains stubbed.

  Apply a Category to Archived Items

  

  If enabled by your administrator, a category is applied to all mail archived from the Archive Search for Outlook. For example, before archival, an item displays similar to:
  

  

  After the item is stubbed with a category, in this example Archived, it appears similar to:
  

  Restore Stubbed Content to Microsoft Exchange

  

  To restore stubbed content to your Microsoft Exchange Server, click the Restore () icon in the Outlook toolbar. When clicked, the selected stub content is restored to the Exchange Server and persists on the Server until the next stubbing job runs.