Learn more about the Secure and Govern Content Lifecycle feature, feature from the Frequently Asked Questions below.
General
How are file versions handled?
Files are handled at the version level, based on the creation time of each version. This means that while older versions of a file will be released from retention, deleted, or archived, newer versions will remain unaffected. Eventually, once all versions of the file are released from retention, deleted, or archived, the file itself will be released or removed.
When a file matches more than one policy, which one applies?
In case of deletion and archival policies, the shortest period mandated by all the matching policies for a file is the one that applies to the file. However, in the case of retention policies, the longest period mandated by the matching policies is applied to the file. This doesn't apply to the default retention policy which only acts as a fallback i.e., only if there are no retention policy matches for a given file, the default retention if configured would apply to the file.
Can I increase the period for files matched by more than one policy?
Since the shortest period based on all matching policies applies, there is currently no way to create another policy that would increase the deletion period for a given file.
Can I retain/delete/archive files matching a certain classification policy such as GDPR or CCPA?
Check out the Content Lifecycle Policies article to learn how to set this up within the policy.
Can I handle files based on where they’re located, such as the finance or HR folder? What happens if files are moved out of the folder?
Check out the Content Lifecycle Policies article to learn how to set this up within the policy. Files can accumulate multiple policy matches if moved from folder to folder where there are retention policies in place.
How can I tell if a policy I created is working?
The number of files matching any given policy is shown in the list of policies. This count can be used to assess the impact of the policy.
Any specific files that have been deleted that are subject to retention appear with a distinct retention icon in the trash. The expiry date of the retention period for the file is also shown.
What is the time period of the policy based on?
Check out the Content Lifecycle Policies article to learn more about the different policies and how they're applied to files and their versions.
How do I unlock a policy?
The only way to unlock a policy is to have a Secure and Govern Admin contact Egnyte Support. Any built-in or custom policies that are leveraged by the policy will also be locked and cannot be edited, disabled, or deleted until the policy is unlocked.
Retention
What Happens to Files Already in the Trash when a New Retention Policy is Created?
Newly created retention policies apply to files that are already within the trash at the time the policies are created. Policy matches for files in the Trash will be based on their location before they were sent to the trash or any classification criteria that are met by the file.
Can a User Retain Files Indefinitely?
Yes, one of the options for the default retention period in Secure & Govern is Indefinite.
Can Files under retention be Deleted? What Happens When a File is Released from Retention?
The retention feature is designed to prevent files from being lost from the system forever (being purged from Trash) but does not prevent users from deleting files. Deleted files will remain within trash while they are subject to retention and cannot be purged; manually or automatically.
When the retention period expires, deleted files can be purged manually or will be automatically purged according to the configured trash purge interval. For retained files that have not yet been deleted, nothing happens to them at the point of retention expiry.
Can a user prevent a retention policy from being edited or deleted?
Yes, the user can lock a retention policy. No one, including the user themselves, will be able to edit or delete the policy once it's locked. An Egnyte Admin will need to contact Egnyte Support to unlock the policy. If someone tries to edit a policy that is locked, they'll be notified that they're unable to due to a retention policy lock.
Locking allows the user to meet strict retention requirements mandated by regulations such as FINRA Rule 4511.
Why are all recently deleted files appearing as retained?
Files in trash show as being retained because Egnyte Secure & Govern enforces a 7 day grace period for items within the trash once any Default Retention or Retention Policy has been configured for a domain. This ensures that Secure & Govern can correctly process and keep deleted files, even if the time between file creation and deletion is very short (e.g., a user creates a file and immediately deletes it).
This grace period ensures that Secure & Govern always enforces the retention rules configured, no matter what. The grace period means that deleted files cannot be purged manually or automatically until one week after they have been deleted. After one week, if the deleted file is not subject to retention, it won't show "Under retention" anymore and can be purged.
Does default retention apply to all files?
In Egnyte Secure & Govern, the default retention policy acts as a fallback, that is only if there are no retention policy matches for a given file. If configured the default retention policy would apply to a file.
For more FAQs on default retention, refer to this article.