Patent ID: 8452741

Claim:
A method comprising: identifying a plurality of data retention rules associated with a data object, each rule specifying an area to which the rule applies and at least one of a minimum retention period and a maximum retention period; comparing the minimum and the maximum retention periods in each of the identified data retention rules; identifying a latest end of the minimum retention periods and an earliest end of the maximum retention periods from the comparing; if the latest end of the minimum retention periods is less than the earliest end of the maximum retention periods, deleting the data object no earlier than the latest end of the minimum retention periods and no later than the earliest end of the maximum retention periods; and otherwise, if the latest end of the minimum retention periods is not less than the earliest end of the maximum retention periods: granting access to the data object for users granted authorization to access an area having a rule associated with the data object with a minimum retention period that has not yet elapsed when the maximum retention period in each respective rule is reached until the latest end of the minimum retention periods is reached; otherwise denying access to the data object when the maximum retention period in each respective rule is reached until the latest end of the minimum retention periods is reached; and deleting the data object at the latest end of the minimum retention periods.