Criterion-based retention of data object versions

A system, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory storing instructions that, as a result of being executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
• enable versioning for a first copy of a data object maintained by the system, based at least in part on a request including a partition identifier associated with a storage location for the data object, by at least:
• generating first metadata associated with the first copy of the data object to indicate that the first copy of the data object is a current version of the data object, a first interval of time, and a first version identifier associated with the first copy of the data object, where the first version identifier identifies the first copy of the data object among a plurality of different versions of the data object and the first interval of time indicates a point in time at which the first copy of the data object may be deleted;
• receive a second copy of the data object for storage by the system;
• assign versioning information associated with the data object, based at least in part on a policy associated with the storage location, by at least:
• altering the first metadata associated with the first copy of the data object to indicate that the first copy of the data object is a non-current version of the data object;
• and
• assigning second metadata associated with the second copy of the data object to indicate that the second copy of the data object is the current version of the data object, a second interval of time indicating a point of time at which the second copy of the data object may be deleted, and a second version identifier;
• and
• as a result of determining that the first interval of time has expired, cause the first copy of the data object to be deleted.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing thereon executable instructions that, as a result of being executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to:

• obtain a versioning policy associated with a data storage location maintained by the computer system, the versioning policy indicating a first condition of a set of conditions associated with data objects stored in the data storage location, the first condition including a lifespan associated with a data object or a number of non-current versions of the data object maintained under the versioning policy;
• obtain a first version of the data object for storage in the data storage location;
• assign first metadata associated with the first version of the data object to indicate that the first version of the data object is a current version and the first condition of the set of conditions of the versioning policy applies to the data object;
• obtain a second version of the data object for storage in the data storage location;
• assign second metadata associated with the second version of the data object to indicate that the second version of the data object is the current version and a second condition of the set of conditions of the versioning policy applies to the data object, where the second condition includes a lifespan of the second version of the data object;
• modify the first metadata to indicate that the first version of the data object is a non-current version;
• and
• as a result of determining that the first condition is satisfied and that the first version of the data object is the non-current version, cause an operation to be performed on the first version of the data object.