Like a blockbuster summer movie, my previous blog on e-discovery tools gets a sequel.Let's blame all the salt water I got in my ears while on vacation for missing two product releases in the e-discovery market.

First is Guidance Software, which launched version 3.1 of EnCase eDiscovery, a software package that helps IT and inside counsel search for documents and files relevant to litigation or internal investigation.

The new version adds connectors to EMC's Documentum, Microsoft Exchange, and Lotus Domino servers. These connectors let the eDiscovery software pull data from these repositories. Guidance says future dot releases will add support for SharePoint, Symantec Enterprise Vault, and Open Text. Another new feature lets eDiscovery decrypt enciphered e-mail and documents to facilitate searches.

The new software also has a new workflow interface that helps users go step by step through the discovery process. A repeatable workflow is important because enterprises must be able to defend their discovery procedures. Courts are demanding to see more and more information about how a litigant conducted a discovery exercise, rather than just the results of that effort.

Finally, Guidance supports EDRM XML load files. EDRM XML is a standardized schema for moving relevant content from one discovery software platform to another.

Guidance is competing against vendors such as Kazeon and StoredIQ, which also recently announced product upgrades. You can read about them here.

Next is Recommind, which recently announced Axcelerate eDiscovery 3.0. This software helps lawyers review and analyze all the information that's been scooped up by products such as Guidance, Kazeon, and StoredIQ.

New in version 3.0 the ability to support foreign languages, helping review teams index, search, and process information in multiple languages. The product also offers native file viewing for hundreds of different file types.

It has beefed-up its processing capabilities to eliminate duplicate copies of messages and files to be analyzed, helping speed analysis and keep costs down by ensuring that attorneys aren't reviewing duplicate information.

A workflow console assists with multitiered reviews, and a new administration console that offers detailed reporting and system performance monitoring.

Recommind competes with Clearwell, which also was discussed in the previous post.