Approach for deleting electronic documents on network devices using document retention policies

• US 20060156381A1
• Filed: 01/12/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Application Number:
  US11/034,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156381A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An approach is provided for deleting electronic documents on network devices using a document retention policy. The document retention policy specifies one or more deletion criteria for documents belonging to each of a plurality of document classifications. The document retention policy is defined by document retention policy data that is managed by a document retention policy manager. The document retention policy manager disseminates the document retention policy data to network elements over a communications network. The document retention policy manager determines whether a retention policy audit should be performed and if so, signals the network elements to conduct a retention policy audit. The network elements are configured to conduct the retention policy audit by deleting electronic documents in accordance with the document retention policy. The network elements are further configured to generate and provide to the document retention policy manager report data that indicates results of performing the retention policy audit.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for deleting electronic documents on network devices, the computer-implemented method comprising:

retrieving document retention policy data that specifies one or more deletion criteria for each of a plurality of electronic document classifications;

transmitting the document retention policy data to one or more network devices over a communications network;

determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted; and

if the retention policy audit should be conducted, then

signaling the one or more network devices to cause the one or more network devices to perform the retention policy audit, wherein performing the retention policy audit includes

identifying, from the plurality of electronic document classifications, one or more electronic document classifications for which the corresponding one or more deletion criteria are satisfied, and

deleting one or more electronic documents associated with the identified one or more electronic document classifications, and

receiving, from the one or more network devices, audit report data that indicates results of the one or more network devices performing the retention policy audit.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the deletion criteria include a time duration for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the deletion criteria include a deletion time for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the deletion criteria include the occurrence of one or more events.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to create and edit the document retention policy data.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing the document retention policy data to one or more network devices is performed in response to the document retention policy data being updated.

7. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted includes determining whether user input has been received indicating that the retention policy audit should be conducted.

8. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted includes determining whether audit schedule data indicates that the retention policy audit should be conducted.

9. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audit report data indicates whether one or more data files could be deleted.

10. A computer-readable medium for deleting electronic documents on network devices, the computer-readable medium carrying instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

retrieving document retention policy data that specifies one or more deletion criteria for each of a plurality of electronic document classifications;

transmitting the document retention policy data to one or more network devices over a communications network;

determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted; and

if the retention policy audit should be conducted, then

signaling the one or more network devices to cause the one or more network devices to perform the retention policy audit, wherein performing the retention policy audit includes

identifying, from the plurality of electronic document classifications, one or more electronic document classifications for which the corresponding one or more deletion criteria are satisfied, and

deleting one or more electronic documents associated with the identified one or more electronic document classifications, and

receiving, from the one or more network devices, audit report data that indicates results of the one or more network devices performing the retention policy audit.

11. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the deletion criteria include a time duration for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the deletion criteria include a deletion time for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

13. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the deletion criteria include the occurrence of one or more events.

14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes allowing a user to create and edit the document retention policy data allowing a user to create and edit the document retention policy data.

15. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein providing the document retention policy data to one or more network devices is performed in response to the document retention policy data being updated.

16. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted includes determining whether user input has been received indicating that the retention policy audit should be conducted.

17. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted includes determining whether audit schedule data indicates that the retention policy audit should be conducted.

18. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the audit report data indicates whether one or more data files could be deleted.

19. An apparatus for deleting electronic documents on network devices, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause retrieving document retention policy data that specifies one or more deletion criteria for each of a plurality of electronic document classifications;

transmitting the document retention policy data to one or more network devices over a communications network;

determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted; and

if the retention policy audit should be conducted, then

signaling the one or more network devices to cause the one or more

network devices to perform the retention policy audit, wherein

performing the retention policy audit includes

identifying, from the plurality of electronic document classifications, one or more electronic document classifications for which the corresponding one or more deletion criteria are satisfied, and

deleting one or more electronic documents associated with the identified one or more electronic document classifications, and

receiving, from the one or more network devices, audit report data that indicates results of the one or more network devices performing the retention policy audit.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the deletion criteria include a time duration for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the deletion criteria include a deletion time for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the deletion criteria include the occurrence of one or more events.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the memory further stores additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes allowing a user to create and edit the document retention policy data.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein providing the document retention policy data to one or more network devices is performed in response to the document retention policy data being updated.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted includes determining whether user input has been received indicating that the retention policy audit should be conducted.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein determining whether a retention policy audit should be conducted includes determining whether audit schedule data indicates that the retention policy audit should be conducted.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the audit report data indicates whether one or more data files could be deleted.

28. A computer-implemented method for deleting electronic documents on network devices, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving at each of a plurality of network devices over a communications network, document retention policy data from a document retention policy manager executing on another network device, wherein the document retention policy data specifies one or more deletion criteria for each of a plurality of electronic document classifications;

receiving, at each of the plurality of network devices from the document retention policy manager executing on the another network device, an instruction to conduct a retention policy audit; and

in response to receiving the instruction at each of the plurality of network devices, an audit processor on each of the plurality of network devices causing the retention policy audit to be conducted by

identifying, from the plurality of electronic document classifications, one or more electronic document classifications for which the corresponding one or more deletion criteria are satisfied, and

deleting one or more electronic documents associated with the identified one or more electronic document classifications;

causing audit report data to be generated that indicates results of performing the retention policy audit, and

causing the audit report data to be provided to the document retention policy manager over the communications network.

29. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 28, wherein the deletion criteria include a time duration for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

30. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 28, wherein the deletion criteria include a deletion time for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

31. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 28, wherein the deletion criteria include the occurrence of one or more events.

32. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 28, wherein the document retention policy manager on each of the plurality of network devices is configured to allow a user to specify which of the plurality of electronic document classifications each of a plurality of electronic documents belongs to.

33. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 28, wherein the audit report data indicates whether one or more data files could be deleted.

34. A computer-readable medium for deleting electronic documents on network devices, the computer-readable medium carrying instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

receiving at each of a plurality of network devices over a communications network, document retention policy data from a document retention policy manager executing on another network device, wherein the document retention policy data specifies one or more deletion criteria for each of a plurality~of electronic document classifications;

receiving, at each of the plurality of network devices from the document retention policy manager executing on the another network device, an instruction to conduct a retention policy audit; and

in response to receiving the instruction at each of the plurality of network devices, an audit processor on each of the plurality of network devices causing the retention policy audit to be conducted by

identifying, from the plurality of electronic document classifications, one or more electronic document classifications for which the corresponding one or more deletion criteria are satisfied, and

deleting one or more electronic documents associated with the identified one or more electronic document classifications;

causing audit report data to be generated that indicates results of performing the retention policy audit, and

causing the audit report data to be provided to the document retention policy manager over the communications network.

35. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the deletion criteria include a time duration for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

36. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the deletion criteria include a deletion time for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

37. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the deletion criteria include the occurrence of one or more events.

38. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the document retention policy manager on each of the plurality of network devices is configured to allow a user to specify which of the plurality of electronic document classifications each of a plurality of electronic documents belongs to.

39. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the audit report data indicates whether one or more data files could be deleted.

40. An apparatus for deleting electronic documents on network devices, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause

receiving at each of a plurality of network devices over a communications network, document retention policy data from a document retention policy manager executing on another network device, wherein the document retention policy data specifies one or more deletion criteria for each of a plurality of electronic document classifications;

receiving, at each of the plurality of network devices from the document retention policy manager executing on the another network device, an instruction to conduct a retention policy audit; and

in response to receiving the instruction at each of the plurality of network devices, an audit processor on each of the plurality of network devices causing the retention policy audit to be conducted by

identifying, from the plurality of electronic document classifications, one or more electronic document classifications for which the corresponding one or more deletion criteria are satisfied, and

deleting one or more electronic documents associated with the identified one or more electronic document classifications;

causing audit report data to be generated that indicates results of performing the retention policy audit, and

causing the audit report data to be provided to the document retention policy manager over the communications network.

41. The apparatus as recited in claim 40, wherein the deletion criteria include a time duration for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

42. The apparatus as recited in claim 40, wherein the deletion criteria include a deletion time for each of the plurality of electronic document classifications.

43. The apparatus as recited in claim 40, wherein the deletion criteria include the occurrence of one or more events.

44. The apparatus as recited in claim 40, wherein the document retention policy manager on each of the plurality of network devices is configured to allow a user to specify which of the plurality of electronic document classifications each of a plurality of electronic documents belongs to.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 40, wherein the audit report data indicates whether one or more data files could be deleted.