ILM is a process by which information is managed according to a lifecycle. This lifecycle is defined in terms of the value of the information.
Information differs from data in that it has context. Context is derived from various attributes of the information, including content, class, location, relationships, state, and age.
ILM enhances data protection by ensuring that more valuable resources are applied to more valuable information and not to less valuable information. This helps control costs and enhances service delivery.
A general model of an information lifecycle calls for the creation of information, followed by the detection of changes in state that cause actions to occur. This continues until the last action destruction happens.
Changes in state can happen because an attribute of the information changes or its content changes.
Many ILM initiatives are driven by regulatory concerns. Financial, corporate, and privacy regulations contain requirements for information retention and protection that ILM addresses.
Automation will make management of and compliance with ILM policies much easier. Tools to classify, audit, secure, and move information are making the task of implementing ILM more palatable to organizations.
