Explore storage optimization workflows in AI Data Engine
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These AI Data Engine (AIDE) workflows take you from identifying a storage problem on the dashboard through investigation and action to an ongoing monitoring policy. Each workflow follows the same path: review the dashboard, investigate, act, and save a policy.
Identify and act on cold data
You notice on the dashboard that a storage resource has a large amount of data flagged as cold. Cold files haven't been accessed within the configured cold data threshold, which defaults to one year. You can change this threshold in the data classification settings.
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From the dashboard, identify the resource with the highest concentration of cold data and select Investigate.
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In Investigation, set the Last accessed filter to match your configured cold data threshold (default: 1+ year) and confirm the resources.
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Review the results to decide whether to tag, archive, or delete the matching files.
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If these resources are worth monitoring on an ongoing basis, save the filter set as a policy so that you receive a notification when new files become cold.
Identify and act on stale data
AI Data Engine classifies files as stale when they haven't been modified for longer than your organization's stale threshold (default: three years).
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You can change this threshold in the data classification settings. |
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From the dashboard, identify a resource with significant stale data.
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In Investigation, apply the Last modified filter set to your stale threshold (default 3+ years).
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Review the results to decide whether to tag, archive, or delete the matching files.
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Save the filter set as a policy to track these resources across subsequent scans.
Manage data retention compliance
Your organization requires that files older than a certain age are reviewed for retention. The default retention threshold in AI Data Engine is seven or more years since file creation. You can adjust this threshold to match your organization's compliance and retention policies.
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This threshold is configurable in Configuration > General settings. |
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In Investigation, apply the Last created filter set to your retention threshold (default 7+ years).
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Review the results with the relevant stakeholders before acting. Retention-flagged files are often monitored rather than automatically deleted.
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Create a policy with a monitor-only or email notification action so that you receive an alert when new files meet the retention threshold.
Find and eliminate duplicate files
Multiple identical copies of the same files exist across volumes or shares, a common issue in environments with backup jobs, data migrations, or shared project folders.
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In Investigation, select Unstructured and open the details of a file that you suspect has copies, such as a file from a recent data migration.
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Next to Duplicates, select View details to display every copy of the file and its location.
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Review the matching files and their locations to confirm which copies are redundant.
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Select the redundant files, and then select Clean up duplicates.
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Under Action, select Delete. Keep the copy with the Last modified option, leave a breadcrumb at the original location, and select Submit. Then confirm the deletion in the dialog. For details, refer to Investigate and clean up duplicate files.
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Create a policy to track duplicate accumulation over time and receive notifications when the count increases.
Target cleanup by data owner
Data meeting your organization's cold and stale thresholds is distributed across many owners. Identifying which data owners hold the most files in these categories can help you prioritize cleanup.
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From the dashboard, locate the Top consumers by reclaimable storage table.
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Select an owner row to open Investigation filtered to that owner's files.
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Review the results and decide whether to tag, archive, or delete files.
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Save the filter set as a policy to monitor how that owner's potentially reclaimable data changes over time.