ENTERPRISE DATA LIFECYCLE™

An architecture for governing
information according to
what it requires.

Enterprise Data Lifecycle™ defines a technology-independent architecture for understanding information state, governance requirements, policy, governed decisions, lifecycle transitions, verification, and continuous reevaluation across the enterprise.

DOCUMENTS

Start with the overview.
Request the full specification.

The overview document is available directly. The full Enterprise Data Lifecycle™ Specification is distributed by request so Savartus can send the appropriate download link.

CORE PREMISE

Information lifecycle is
not storage lifecycle.

Traditional lifecycle models often infer information state from infrastructure characteristics such as age, access frequency, or storage tier. Enterprise Data Lifecycle™ separates the business and governance state of information from its operational state.

LIFECYCLE STATE

What the information means to the business.

Business purpose, governance status, value, risk, obligations, and lifecycle stage.

≠
OPERATIONAL STATE

How the information is currently managed.

Protection, availability, storage, security, retention, location, and other operational characteristics.

CANONICAL LIFECYCLE

One lifecycle.
Multiple operational states.

01Created
02Active
03Collaborative
04Managed
05Protected
06Archived
07Preservation
08Disposition Eligible
09Disposed

Lifecycle stages describe the business and governance state of information—not where that information is physically stored.

ENTERPRISE DATA STATE VECTOR

Understand the state
before making the decision.

The Enterprise Data State Vector captures the dimensions required to evaluate information in governed context.

01Retention
02Protection
03Security
04Compliance
05Classification
06Integrity
07Availability
08Identity
09Relationships
10Storage
11Business Value
12Risk
13Confidence
14Provenance
15Location

POLICY-DRIVEN GOVERNANCE

Information changes state when
its requirements change.

Lifecycle transitions and governance decisions are determined by policy and continuously reevaluated as information context, obligations, value, risk, relationships, and operational requirements change.

01

Deterministic

Decisions are based on explicit policy rather than hidden heuristics.

02

Continuous

Governed state can be reevaluated as requirements and context change.

03

Explainable

Governance decisions should have a clear policy and context basis.

04

Auditable

Decisions, authorized actions, outcomes, verification, and evidence can be recorded and reviewed.

WHAT EDL IS — AND IS NOT

An information-governance architecture,
not a storage schedule.

EDL IS
  • An enterprise information-governance architecture
  • Technology independent
  • Policy driven
  • Context and metadata aware
  • Business and governed-state focused
EDL IS NOT
  • A storage-tiering algorithm
  • An age-based archive schedule
  • A vendor-specific storage model
  • A replacement for enterprise governance
  • A synonym for data movement

ENTERPRISE DATA LIFECYCLE™

Manage information
according to what it requires.

Contact Savartus to discuss the Enterprise Data Lifecycle™ architecture, reference architecture, and specification.