Glossary > Privacy > Data Protection > Data Lifecycle Management

Data Archiving

Data archiving is the process of moving data that is no longer actively used to a separate storage location to free up space on current systems, while still maintaining easy access for future reference or compliance purposes.

Example #1

An organization archives old customer records that are no longer needed for daily operations but must be retained for legal reasons onto a secure server.

Example #2

A university archives student records from past graduating classes to ensure they are preserved for alumni inquiries and historical research.

Misuse

Misuse of data archiving could occur if archived sensitive personal information is not properly secured. For example, if archived customer data containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is accessed by unauthorized parties due to inadequate security measures, it could lead to identity theft or privacy breaches. It is crucial to protect archived data from unauthorized access to safeguard individuals' privacy and prevent breaches.

Benefits

Data archiving helps organizations comply with regulations that require data retention, like GDPR, by securely storing historical information. It also improves system performance by reducing the amount of data on primary storage, making retrieval faster and more efficient. For consumers, data archiving ensures that their information is stored securely and can be accessed if needed for any legal or regulatory purposes.

Conclusion

Data archiving is a critical aspect of data lifecycle management that helps organizations manage data efficiently while ensuring compliance with regulations and protecting consumer privacy. By securely storing historical data, organizations can optimize system performance and maintain data accessibility for future needs.

Last Modified: 4/30/2024