Retention for content stored in fixed storage areas

You can configure a fixed storage area for aligned or non-aligned retention mode. In both retention modes, Content Platform Engine manages retention. In the aligned retention mode, the fixed content device can provide an extra layer of retention protection.

In the non-aligned retention mode, Content Platform Engine applies retention, but the fixed content device does not provide extra, device-level protection of the content. It is possible that another application that uses the fixed content device might delete content that you set for retention.

In the aligned retention mode, the fixed content device applies the retention settings that you set by using Content Platform Engine. The fixed content device prevents other applications from deleting content that you set for retention.

The same fixed content device can be associated with multiple fixed storage areas with different retention modes. The retention mode property is set when you create a fixed storage area. If you change the retention mode later, the updated setting applies to new content but the retention settings of existing content do not change.

In aligned mode, all retention settings are fully supported on IBM Cloud® Object Storage, IBM® Spectrum Protect, Hitachi, EMC Elastic Cloud Storage, and EMC Centera (deprecated) fixed content devices. The NetApp SnapLock device supports a limited set of retention features.

Table 1. Actions and implications in aligned and non-aligned mode
Actions	Aligned mode	Non-aligned mode
Creating content	The content is created in the fixed storage area, and retention is applied to the content.	The content is created in the fixed storage area, but retention is not applied to the content.
Deleting an object	The retention setting of the content on the fixed device is always examined before the FileNet® P8 delete request is accepted.	Same as aligned mode.
Retention enforcement	Content Platform Engine and the fixed content device.	Content Platform Engine only.
Moving content programmatically from one fixed storage area to another.	If the source area is a fixed storage area in aligned mode, and the retention period of the object did not expire, the operation to move the content fails.	If the source area is a fixed storage area in non-aligned mode, no restrictions apply. If the target area is a fixed storage area in aligned mode, retention is applied to the content.