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LSCOST04-BP02 Implement data retention and deletion policies aligned with regulatory requirements - Life Sciences Lens
Implementation guidance

LSCOST04-BP02 Implement data retention and deletion policies aligned with regulatory requirements

Develop and enforce comprehensive data retention and deletion policies that comply with industry regulations while minimizing unnecessary storage costs. These policies should clearly define how long different types of research data must be retained, how it should be stored, and when it can be safely deleted or archived.

Desired outcome: A comprehensive, automated data retention and deletion framework that improves regulatory adherence while minimizing storage costs through intelligent lifecycle management, enabling safe data disposal when appropriate and maintaining complete audit trails for data lifecycle decisions across research phases.

Level of risk exposed if this best practice is not established: Medium

Implementation guidance

Organizations should first analyze their data usage patterns and regulatory requirements across different research stages. Implement automated tools for monitoring data access patterns and costs. Develop clear policies for data classification and retention requirements. Create automated workflows for moving data between storage tiers based on age and usage while maintaining audit trails. Regularly review and optimize storage costs while verifying that regulatory requirements are met.

Implementation steps

  1. Analyze current data storage costs and usage patterns across research phases.

    1. Document regulatory requirements for different data types and research stages.

    2. Define metrics for measuring storage optimization success and establish baseline costs.

    3. Create data classification policies that balance research needs with cost optimization opportunities.

  2. Create comprehensive data lifecycle policies that define storage tiers, retention periods, and movement criteria.

    1. Develop automation rules for data movement between storage tiers based on age and access patterns.

    2. Establish regulatory documentation requirements for data lifecycle changes.

    3. Define processes for data retrieval and restoration when needed.

  3. Deploy automated tools for monitoring data usage and implementing lifecycle policies.

    1. Configure storage tiering based on defined policies and regulatory requirements.

    2. Implement automated documentation and audit trail creation for each data movement.

    3. Set up cost monitoring and optimization tools with appropriate alerting.

  4. Regularly review storage costs and usage patterns to identify optimization opportunities.

    1. Adjust automation rules based on changing research needs and cost patterns.

    2. Conduct periodic audits to verify that requirements are met.

    3. Update policies and procedures based on new regulatory requirements or research needs.