ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Information lifecycle management

Imagine you have a lot of toys that you play with. As you grow older, some of these toys may not be interesting to you anymore and you may want to get rid of them. Some toys may be too old or broken and you may want to throw them away or store them away in a box.

Similar to toys, data or information that we use every day also has a lifespan, which is called the 'information lifecycle.' Information lifecycle management is the process of managing this data, from its creation to its deletion, keeping in mind its value and importance to an organization or business.

In simpler terms, imagine you have a toy that you love and you always keep it safe because it's important to you. That's how businesses and organizations should treat their data, by keeping it safe and secure while it's still important, and getting rid of it when it's no longer needed.

The information lifecycle management process consists of different stages:

1. Creation or receipt of information: Just like when you get a new toy, information is created when you write a document, take a picture or record a video.

2. Classification and organization: When you get new toys, you may organize them in different boxes or categorize them based on their function or color. Similarly, businesses may classify information based on their importance, sensitivity or purpose.

3. Utilization and access: Just like when you play with your toys, when data is created, it can be accessed or utilized by different people or departments within an organization.

4. Maintenance and preservation: Sometimes toys or data may get dirty or damaged, so you need to take care of them. Organizations must maintain the quality and accuracy of their data, and ensure it's secure from loss or damage.

5. Retention and archiving: When you keep a toy for a long time, you may store it away in a box. Similarly, important and sensitive data that is not needed anymore may be archived or stored away for future reference.

6. Disposition and destruction: When your toys are no longer of interest to you or when they're broken or damaged, you may throw them away. Similarly, organizations must decide when to get rid of data that is no longer needed or when they're legally required to destroy it.

In summary, information lifecycle management is the process of managing data or information from its creation to its disposal, while ensuring that it's secure, accurate and accessible. Just like taking care of your toys, managing information is important for businesses to ensure their success and growth.