retentiondays

Retentiondays is a configuration parameter used in data lifecycle management to specify the duration that data should be retained before deletion or archival. It is commonly part of a retention policy that applies to datasets such as logs, emails, customer records, or backups. The value is typically expressed as an integer number of days, but the exact semantics can vary by system.

The retention period can be measured from different timestamps. In some systems, retention starts at the creation date of the item; in others, it starts from the last modification or last access. Some implementations apply retention on a per-item basis, while others use versioned histories or per-collection rules. The interpretation of when the countdown begins should be documented to avoid inconsistent behavior across replicas or services.

Enforcement is usually automated through scheduled processes, such as cron jobs or lifecycle managers, that purge or archive data older than retentiondays. Purging may involve hard deletion, or soft deletion followed by migration to cheaper storage or an immutable archive. In some environments, items beyond retention may be anonymized rather than fully deleted to preserve analytical value or compliance records.

Considerations when choosing retentiondays include regulatory obligations, data usefulness, and storage costs. It is important to ensure consistency across systems and time zones, account for backups and replicas, and document the policy for audit purposes. Some systems distinguish 0 as immediate deletion or as “no retention,” while others treat 0 as a default or unlimited retention; interpretation varies by implementation. Typical values include 7, 30, 90, and 365 days.