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Data retention changes in Webex Suite
In this articleWe're changing the way we retain user-generated data in Webex. This announcement explains the changes and how to prepare for them.
About forthcoming data retention changes
Webex is removing the option to retain messaging data for an indefinite time period. At present, we do not have a default retention period. Which means that if you have not set a retention policy, Webex retains your user-generated content indefinitely.
This retention applies to new as well as historical data. For example, If the retention policy is set to 360 days and takes into effect from 31st Jan 2023, a meeting recording generated on or before 5th Feb 2022, gets deleted. Similarly, with the retention period set to 360 days, a meeting recording generated on 1st October 2022 is deleted by 26 September 2023.
By introducing a default retention period, we're helping you manage the lifecycle of your user-generated content, reduce your data footprint, and ensure you can meet compliance and regulatory standards.
This change applies to user-generated content for all enterprise Webex customers.
This change does not affect you if you already defined a retention policy. Your retention period stays the same.
Retention period changes and dates
|
Data type | Pro Pack? |
Current default retention period |
New default retention period |
Date of change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Webex Space—Messages, files, whiteboards |
Without Pro Pack |
Indefinite |
360 days |
8th March 2023 |
|
With Pro Pack |
Indefinite |
1095 days |
31st March 2023 |
|
|
Webex Meetings—Recordings, transcripts, saved in-meeting chats |
Without Pro Pack |
Indefinite |
360 days |
8thMarch 2023 |
|
With Pro Pack |
Indefinite |
1095 days |
31st March 2023 |
The retention policy for in-meeting chats only applies to saved in-meeting chats. You can save in-meeting chats only if you're on the Webex Suite meeting platform.
The retention policy doesn’t cover the chats that occur in breakout sessions. You can use the Webex API to take offline copies of your chats.
New UI changes
| 1 |
Sign in to your organization in Control Hub at https://admin.webex.com, and go to Organization Settings, and scroll to Retention. |
| 2 |
Define a Webex Space Retention Policy by clicking Modify and then: The minimum values are 1 day, 1 month, or 1 year. The maximum values are 3600 days, 120 months, or 10 years. The values control how long Webex keeps user-generated messages, files, and whiteboards. You can set different or the same values for 1-1 and group chats, respectively. |
| 3 |
Define a Webex Meetings Retention Policy by clicking Settings and then: Under Retention Policy: The minimum value is 7 days, and the maximum value is 3600 days. The value controls how long Webex keeps recordings, transcripts, and highlights from your meetings. Under Deleted recording: |
What you should do to prepare for this change
If you don't do anything, we set your retention period to the new default on the date given above.
If you don't want to keep user-generated data, or you don't care about how we handle this data, you don't need to do anything. We'll stop keeping the data indefinitely; instead, we'll purge it after the new default retention period.
If you want to control your user-generated Webex content, these are your options:
-
Change your organization's retention period through Control Hub:
Table 2. Retention period choices Data type Do you have Pro Pack? Minimum Maximum Default Webex Space—Messages, files, whiteboards
No 1 day 360 days 360 days Yes 1 day 3600 days 1095 days Webex Meetings—Recordings, transcripts, in-meeting chats
No 7 days 360 days 360 days Yes 7 days 3600 days 1095 days - Consider upgrading to Pro Pack if you want to retain data for longer than the new limits.
- Consider using eDiscovery for managing data for compliance.
- Consider integrating with your data archiving tools if you want to take user-generated Webex content to an "offline" copy.
- Subscribe to our Data retention article to be notified when this change happens.
- Contact your Cisco account representative if necessary.
