System, method, and software for managing information retention using uniform retention rules

• US 20080263565A1
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Fischer, Georg, Luther, Iwona, Brinkmoeller, Bernhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/316
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27

Abstract

Systems, methods, and software for managing information retention using uniform retention rules is disclosed. Particularly, the disclosure relates to identifying data to be archived and assigning, inter alia, a destruction date to the identified data. Data for archival are identified using one or more defined retention rules. The retention rules identify the data for archival by one or more properties of the data. Once identified, retention information is applied to the identified data.

Claims

1. A method for managing information retention comprising:

applying a first retention rule to a first data object;

destroying the first data object based on the first retention rule being triggered; and

applying a second retention rule to a second data object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein applying the second retention rule comprises:

identifying one or more properties of the second data object; and

defining at least one of a residency period and a retention period based on the one or more properties of the second data object.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein defining the residency period comprises defining a time when the second data object is to be transferred to an archive.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more properties of the second data object to be archived comprises metadata.

5. The claim according to claim 2, wherein defining the retention period comprises defining a time when the second data object is to be destroyed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second data object is structured data.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising applying the second retention rule to unstructured data associated with the structured data.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying the second retention rule to a third data object, the second data object associated with a first business application and the third data object associated with a second business application.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving at least a portion of the second retention rule via a user interface.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a third retention rule to a third data object, the second data object associated with a first business application and the third data object associated with a second business application.

11. The method of claim 1, the first data object residing in an active storage repository.

12. The method of claim 11, the active storage repository comprising a database.

13. The method of claim 1, the first data object comprising an archived data object.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting at least the first retention rule to a client for customization.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising authenticating the client prior to committing the customizations.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting an audit report of the application of the various retention rules.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying at least one of the retention rules in response to a request from a web service.

18. A system for identifying data for managing information retention comprising:

means for applying a first retention rule to a first data object;

means for destroying the first data object based on the first retention rule being triggered; and

means for applying a second retention rule to a second data object.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein means for applying the second retention rule comprises:

means for identifying one or more properties of the second data object; and

means for defining at least one of a residency period and a retention period based on the one or more properties of the second data object.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein means for defining the residency period comprises means for defining a time when the second data object is to be transferred to an archive.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein means for defining the retention period comprises means for defining a time when the second data object is to be destroyed.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein the second data object is structured data.

24. The system according to claim 18 further comprising means for applying the second retention rule to a third data object, the second data object associated with a first business application and the third data object associated with a second business application.

25. The system according to claim 24 further comprising means for receiving at least a portion of the second retention rule via a user interface.

26. The system according to claim 18 further comprising means for applying a third retention rule to a third data object, the second data object associated with a first business application and the third data object associated with a second business application.

27. The system according to claim 18 further comprising means for presenting at least the first retention rule to a client for customization.

28. The system according to claim 18 further comprising an audit report of the application of the various retention rules.

23. The system according to 22 further comprising means for applying the second retention rule to unstructured data associated with the structured data.

29. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to:

apply a first retention rule to a first data object;

destroy the first data object based on the first retention rule being triggered; and

apply a second retention rule to a second data object.

30. The computer program product according to claim 29, wherein the control logic stored therein for causing a computer to apply a second retention rule to a second data object comprises control logic for causing a computer to:

identify one or more properties of the second data object; and

define at least one of a residency period and a retention period based on the one or more properties of the second data object; and

wherein;

the control logic to define the residency period comprises control logic to define a time when the second data object is to be transferred to an archive;

the control logic to define the retention period comprises control logic to define a time when the second data object is to be destroyed; and

one or more properties of the second data object to be archived comprises metadata.

31. The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein the second data object is structured data, and further comprising control logic to apply the second retention rule to unstructured data associated with the structured data.