informationhandling

Information handling is the set of activities involved in managing information across its lifecycle, from creation to disposal. It encompasses the capture, storage, organization, processing, retrieval, transmission, sharing, and eventual disposal or archiving of information. Information handling applies to data in any form, including digital records, paper documents, and multimedia.

In practice, it involves governance, technical systems, and operational processes to ensure information is accurate, accessible, secure, and compliant with applicable laws and policies. Key components include information governance (policies, roles such as data owners and stewards), data quality management, metadata, and data lineage; access control, authentication, encryption, and incident response for security; and records management, retention schedules, and archiving for lifecycle management.

Common technologies and methods include databases, file systems, data warehouses, data lakes, content management systems, document management, and search and retrieval tools; data integration, data quality tooling, backup and recovery, and disaster planning.

Challenges in information handling include privacy concerns, regulatory compliance (such as GDPR and HIPAA), data silos and fragmentation, data quality issues, and evolving security threats. Organizations address these challenges through policy development, risk assessment, and layered controls that balance accessibility with protection of sensitive information.

The goal of information handling is to enable reliable decision making, efficient operations, accountability, and trust in information assets, while maintaining proper stewardship and compliance across the information lifecycle.