Data Retention Policy Planner
Plan data retention schedules to balance compliance risks and storage costs. Enter values for instant results with step-by-step formulas.
Worked Examples
Example 1: E-commerce Archive
Problem:1M Records, 20% PII, 7 Year Retention
Solution:200k PII Records. Breach Liability: 200k * $150 = $30M. Storage: Low.
Result:$30M Liability Risk
Example 2: Log Retention
Problem:100M Records, 0% PII, 1 Year Retention
Solution:0 PII. Liability: $0. Storage: High volume cost.
Result:Low Liability, High Storage Cost
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Data Retention Policy?
A set of guidelines dictating how long an organization must keep data and when it should be deleted. It balances legal requirements (tax, audit) with privacy risks (GDPR 'Right to be Forgotten').
Why does holding data increase risk?
Data is a 'toxic asset'. If you get hacked, every record you hold is a liability. If you deleted it 3 years ago per policy, it can't be stolen.
What is 'Toxic Data'?
Data that has no business value but high liability (e.g., old credit card numbers, ex-employee SSNs). Ideally, this should be purged immediately.
What is the average cost of a data breach?
According to IBM/Ponemon, the average cost is ~$150-$180 per record compromised. This includes legal fees, fines, notification costs, and reputation damage.