What are Cloud Data Retention Policies and Why Do They Matter?

The main objectives of a data retention policy includes storing information for future use, organizing information so it can searched and accessed at a later date and the discarding of any information that is no longer needed.  As more small and medium-sized businesses are moving their data to the cloud, this increases productivity and allows for mobility, however they need to understand the data retention policies of leading cloud services and why there is reason for concern.

With cloud data loss on the rise, it’s important to know the source. The number one reason we experience data loss in the cloud is due to user error, followed by hackers, account closure, malicious deletions and third-party software mistakes. No business can afford to lose sensitive corporate data, no matter how large or small they may be. A commonly known myth is that even if a user deletes a file from a cloud application, it still has to live somewhere, right? This however is not the case, and while data can be stored in the cloud, it is not entirely safe from being permanently deleted.

In the majority of cloud applications, they have a location that all of the deleted files will go to be stored for a certain amount of time. Depending on the retention policy for a particular cloud application, services will then purge that important data after a specified length of time and the data will be permanently lost. Did you know that email deleted in your Gmail account will be retained for 30 days in a user’s trash before being permanently purged unless they purchase the Vault add-on? The Salesforce Recycle Bin is purged after 15 days and with OneDrive for Business, users have 186 days to recover deleted data before it is gone forever as well.

To help businesses understand various retention policies of the most commonly used cloud applications, we have created a Cloud Retention Policy Guide that explores the retention policies of Office 365, Google Apps, Salesforce and Box.

It is crucial to be aware of these retention policies but more importantly to know how long your sensitive corporate data is protected for. You shouldn’t have to worry about a malicious employee deleting files and the slim retention policies that are built into many of these commonly used cloud applications.

Having transparency with regard to retention policies of cloud services has built a lucrative business opportunity for cloud-to-cloud backup solutions that protect stored data in cloud applications like Google Apps, Office 365, Salesforce and Box. With eFolder Cloudfinder, you can back up your organization’s data to the eFolder Cloud and in the event that accidental deletion occurs, you can use eFolder Cloudfinder to recover missing data. Businesses can also implement eFolder Cloudfinder with these commonly known cloud applications and unlimited retention is included.

In short, we hope to  have shed more light about why data retention policies matter and why it is important to be educated about the ways these polices can impact the future success of your business, especially when it comes to cloud applications that are part of your everyday life.

Written by

Alexia Case