Data Retention: Keeping What Matters, Deleting the Rest
Retention Is Risk Management Keeping data too long increases risk. Deleting too soon violates compliance. Balance is essential. Retention Drivers Legal requirements mandate minimum retention. Business needs determine practical value. Cost of storage influences decisions. Risk of breach impacts choices. Regulatory Requirements Tax records: 7 years typical. Employment records: varies by jurisdiction. Healthcare: HIPAA requirements. Financial: SEC and other rules. Retention Categories Permanent: corporate records, intellectual property. Long-term: contracts, financial records. Short-term: operational data, logs. Immediate deletion: drafts, temporary files. ...