Information Lifecycle Management

Information has a lifecycle: it is created, it lives within databases and systems, it changes, and it is archived and eventually destroyed. How we create, store, retrieve, and destroy information is termed information lifecycle management (ILM). Or, to put it in our words:

 "ILM is comprised of the policies, processes, practices, and tools used to align the business value of information with the most appropriate and cost effective IT infrastructure from the time information is created through its final destruction."

SAP NetWeaver Information Lifecycle Management (SAP NetWeaver ILM) allows you to set information retention rules, enabling you to retain different business records for different periods of time according to policy or legal requirements. In addition, you can preserve records related to a current legal case by collecting and placing the records on hold during the course of the legal action. To streamline your IT infrastructure and save costs you can also decommission redundant systems while preserving full auditing and reporting capabilities for stored data.

SAP NetWeaver ILM is based the following three pillars, which allow you to address the entire lifecycle of information (see graphic below):

• Data Archiving
• Retention Management
• System Decommissioning

Note: Since November 8, 2011, SAP NetWeaver ILM 7.03 is in ramp-up. This new ILM release will be delivered to ramp-up customers as part of the SAP ERP 6.0 EhP6 ramp-up. For more information, read our blog.