Retention Policies in Tier 2

Setting up custom retention policies in Tier 2 follows the same steps as Tier 1. For detailed instructions on defining custom policies, see Defining a Retention Policy.

While both tiers share core retention policy functionalities, there are some key distinctions. This section outlines the key distinctions between retention policies available in tier 1 and tier 2 storage:

Tier 1 Specific Policies

Tier 2 Specific Policies

  • Unidentified Participants Policy (Optional): This policy automatically assigns a 100-year retention period to documents originating from sources like Email Gateways, where participant or other critical information is missing. Customers can choose to enable or disable this optional policy.

  • Default Policy (Editable): The default policy applies to tier 1 data that lacks a custom policy assignment. Users can configure this policy through the UI to define the retention period and type (Compliance (WORM) or Operational (Non-WORM)).

  • Global Retention Policy (Read-Only): This tenant-level policy is unique to tier 2. Upon activation, it enforces a fixed retention term for all current and future tier 2 messages. The global policy is read-only within the UI and requires a support ticket for configuration or modification. Unlike standard retention policies, the global retention policy for Tier 2 is relative to the date the policy is set, and not the sent date of the messages.

  • Default Policy (Support Ticket Required): Similar to tier 1, tier 2 has a default policy that applies to data lacking a custom assignment. However, unlike tier 1, editing this policy via the UI is currently not supported. Any adjustments to the retention period or type (Compliance (WORM) or Operational (Non-WORM)) necessitate a support ticket.


Overview and assignment of retention policies in tier 2 data:

Tier 2 Default Retention Policy

This policy applies when no custom policy is assigned. It can be either Compliance (WORM) or Operational (Non-WORM). However, unlike tier 1, editing this policy from the UI is not currently supported for tier 2. To update the retention period or type for tier 2, contact Smarsh support.

If the default retention policy type is set to Compliance (WORM):

  • Retention period can only be increased.

  • Increase in retention period applies to all existing data tagged with the policy.

  • Avoid updating the period during policy assignment for historical data.

If the default retention policy type is set to Operational (Non-WORM):

  • Retention period can be increased or decreased at any time for the same policy. A separate policy is not created for increasing or decreasing the retention period.

  • Changes are day-forward and retroactive for existing data tagged with the policy.

Tier 2 Retention Policy Assignment Process

This section provides an overview of Tier 2 retention policy assignment process, outlining the steps involved and highlighting any key differences compared to the Tier 1 Policy Assignment.

Requesting Tier 2 Policy Assignment

As Tier 2 retention is an on-demand process you will need to contact Smarsh Support to initiate this process.

Prerequisites for Policy Assignment

Before contacting the support team for Tier 2 policy assignment, please ensure that you have completed the following:

  • Tier 2 Policy Configuration: Verify that all necessary Tier 2 policies are fully configured within the Smarsh user interface. This includes any specific policies relevant to Tier 2 data.

  • Data Migration Considerations (Historical Data): If you plan to migrate historical data into Tier 2 storage, ensure the migration process is complete. Additionally, if you choose to utilize retention policy x-headers for migrated data, confirm they have been included in the migrated files.

Steps for Policy Assignment Process:

  1. Scans the tier 2 index to identify documents without a policy. Global retention policies are excluded in this step.

  2. Matches identified documents with defined custom and default tier 2 policies. Tier 1 policies are excluded in this step.

  3. Maps applicable policies to the documents and stores the mapping in a database.

Note

  • Global retention policy for tier 2 does not impact this process.

  • Currently, only policies with defined retention x-headers are supported.

  • A summary report is generated after the process completes and can be requested from Smarsh support.

Differences from Tier 1 Policy Assignment:

  • Tier 2 works on existing data, unlike tier 1's day-forward approach.

  • Tier 2 assignment runs on a separate database and doesn't impact tier 1.