Overview
Data retention analysis is a new feature in iDNA Applications version 3.3.0. It is the combination of collecting document age information from databases and analyzing it based on data retention policies configured for this database.
The obligation to retain data for varying periods of time is a legal necessity in many industries and fields across the globe. Since Notes/Domino applications have been an integral part in business processes for companies of all industries over decades, this is a critical topic for nearly any organization who aims to be compliant with their legal requirements.
Here is a brief excerpt of common retention periods by industry in the European Union:
- Financial Services: 5–10 years (e.g., accounting records, transaction logs)
- Healthcare: 10–30 years (patient records, depending on country)
- Telecommunications: 6 months to 2 years (metadata, call logs—subject to national laws)
- Employment/HR: 2–10 years (contracts, payroll, disciplinary records)
- Tax Records: typically 7–10 years (subject to national laws)
- Construction & Real Estate: 10+ years (project documentation, safety records)
Example:
- Our database has approximately 141k documents which were last modified between 2009 and 2025.
(If no later modification occurred, the creation time of a document is the last modification time) - We set a retention policy of 4 years (starting at the current date), for which documents have to be retained
- That results in a retention cutoff date of September 23, 2021 (assuming the current date is September 23, 2025)
- Looking at that history, iDNA summarizes that approximately 115k of documents (~82%) are still inside the retention period
Configuration
Prerequisites
- License: Content Age analysis is licensed as a separate module and not included in previous licenses. The new module is purchasable as an add-on for all currently active subscription licenses and new licenses.
- DB Access: A minimum of Reader access is required on databases that should be analyzed
Content Age Collection and Processing
- Collection: Assuming that a license is found that includes the Content Age module,
Retention Period Configuration
Evaluating Results
Licensing
Please note that this type of analysis is licensed separately and not included in previous licenses. The new module is purchasable as an add-on for all currently active subscription licenses.