--- title: Data Retention Application slug: /applications/data-retention collate: true --- # Data Retention Application The **Data Retention** application in **OpenMetadata** automates the cleanup of the internal database to maintain long-term performance and prevent data bloat. It provides administrators with an efficient mechanism to define retention policies for event-related records, ensuring scalability and compliance with data management practices. ## Overview As **OpenMetadata** processes events related to metadata changes and pipeline executions, it stores these events in internal tables. Over time, these tables can grow significantly and affect system performance. The **Data Retention App** enables automated and scheduled cleanup of outdated records. ### Key Features - Automated cleanup of outdated internal records. - Configurable retention periods for different data categories. - Helps maintain system performance and database efficiency. - Supports compliance with organizational data retention policies. ## Configuration Options - **Configuration Key:** `changeEventRetentionPeriod` **Description:** Number of days to retain change event records **Default Value:** `7` {% note %} The retention period is applied to each cleanup target based on its timestamp. {% /note %} ## Cleanup Targets The app deletes old records from the following internal tables: - **change_events:** Stores all metadata change event logs. - **successful_sent_change_events:** Tracks successfully processed events. - **consumers_dlq:** Dead Letter Queue for failed events. ## Implementation Details - **Schedule:** Runs weekly by default. - **Cron:** `0 0 * * 0` (every Sunday at midnight). - **Batch Processing:** Cleans up records in batches of 10,000. - **Triggering:** Can be executed manually or allowed to run on schedule. - **Application Class:** `org.openmetadata.service.apps.bundles.dataRetention.DataRetention` - **Permission Requirement:** Requires admin privileges to configure or trigger. ## How to Access 1. Go to **Settings > Applications** and then click on **Add apps**. {% image src="/images/v1.8/applications/ret.png" alt="Install Data Retention Application" caption="Install Data Retention Application" /%} 2. Select or install the **Data Retention** application. {% image src="/images/v1.8/applications/ret1.png" alt="Install Data Retention Application" caption="Install Data Retention Application" /%} 3. Configure the desired retention period. {% image src="/images/v1.8/applications/ret2.png" alt="configuration" caption="Configuration" /%} 4. Run manually or let it operate on its default schedule. {% image src="/images/v1.8/applications/ret3.png" alt="scheduling" caption="scheduling" /%}