How to Define Archived Message Retention Policies Based on Saved Searches

Saved Search Retention Policies

You can define a retention policy based on a Saved Search to automatically delete archived messages from the Barracuda Message Archiver. Note that before you can create a Saved Search retention policy, you must create at least one Saved Search in the Basic > Search > Advanced Search page.

Messages that match the specified Saved Search are permanently removed from the Barracuda Message Archiver when the age of the message exceeds the specified Saved Search policy length.

If you define multiple Saved Search retention policies, if the age of any message exceeds the maximum age allowed by all Saved Search retention policies that apply to the message, that message is permanently deleted form the Barracuda Message Archiver.

Because a Saved Search retention policy overrides the Global retention policy, Saved Search retention policies are useful when you want to create exceptions to a global retention policy.

Automating Message Purging

To run Saved Search retention policies against archived messages, go to the Policy > Retention  page, and turn on Allow automatic message deletion. Once enabled, the Saved Search policies are run against archived messages weekly on Friday night.

Setting Up a Saved Search Retention Policy

1. Log into the Barracuda Message Archiver, go to the Basic > Search page, and in the Standard tab, click Advanced .
2. Enter the search criteria, and click Save Search.
3. Enter the Search Name, and click OK.
4. Go to the Policy > Retention page, and verify that  Allow automatic message deletion  is set to  Yes.
5. Click Add Retention Policy to open the Add Retention Policy dialog box. The Cloud Mode field displays the archived message cloud storage mode as defined on the ADVANCED > Cloud Storage page:
   • Off – Messages are not copied to cloud storage.
   • Mirror – All messages are copied to the cloud.
6. From the Saved Search drop-down menu, select the name of the saved search on which to base this retention policy.
7. In the Keep on box section, specify whether to retain archived messages forever, or for a specified number of days:
   • Forever – Messages meeting the Saved Search criteria on this Barracuda Message Archiver are retained forever.

   • For – Enter the number of days to retain archived messages that match the selected Saved Search criteria. 

8. Click Submit to save the Saved Search retention policy.

   Important
   If a message matches more than one Saved Search-based policy, then the message is kept according to the longest policy length. If it matches a Saved Search-based policy as well as the global policy, then the Saved Search policy takes precedence.