Electronic record management system

In a distributed computing environment, an apparatus for managing an electronic record for compliance with network security policies, the apparatus comprising:

• a computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the computer system being configured to
• create an electronic tag that uniquely identifies the electronic record, the electronic tag being associated with a deletion prevention time period for compliance with the network security policies;
• store the electronic tag in a central repository storing a plurality of electronic tags each associated with one of a plurality of electronic records;
• send the electronic record to a recipient computer;
• and
• evaluate the plurality of electronic tags stored in the central repository to identify an electronic tag for which the deletion prevention time period has elapsed;
• cause searching of the recipient computer for an electronic record associated with the identified electronic tag;
• and
• cause deletion of the electronic record associated with the identified electronic tag from the recipient computer.

In a distributed computing environment, an article of manufacture for managing an electronic record for compliance with network security policies, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program embodied therein that causes the distributed computing environment to:

• create an electronic tag that identifies the electronic record, the electronic tag being associated with a deletion prevention time period for compliance with the network security policies;
• send the electronic record to a recipient computer;
• evaluate the electronic tag to determine if the electronic record is to be deleted based on expiration of the deletion prevention time period;
• cause searching of the recipient computer for the electronic record;
• and
• causing deletion of the electronic record from the recipient computer.

In a distributed computing environment, a method for managing an electronic record for compliance with network security policies of an organization, the method comprising:

• creating an electronic tag that uniquely identifies the electronic record, the electronic tag being associated with a deletion prevention time period for compliance with the network security policies;
• storing the electronic tag in a central repository storing a plurality of electronic tags each associated with one of a plurality of electronic records;
• sending the electronic record to a recipient computer;
• evaluating the plurality of electronic tags stored in the central repository to identify one or more electronic records to be deleted based on expiration of the deletion prevention time period;
• evaluating a user profile of a user associated with the one or more electronic records identified for deletion to determine a deletion privilege of the user;
• and
• according to the deletion privilege perform at least one of
• deleting the electronic record identified for deletion and the electronic tag associated therewith stored in the central repository;
• and
• deleting the electronic record identified for deletion without deleting the electronic tag associated therewith stored in the central repository.

A computing device operably coupled to a network comprising:

• means for creating an electronic tag that uniquely identifies the electronic record, the electronic tag being associated with a deletion prevention time period for compliance with the network security policies;
• means for storing the electronic tag in a central repository storing a plurality of electronic tags each associated with an electronic record;
• means for sending the electronic record to a recipient computer means for evaluating the plurality of electronic tags stored in the central repository to identify one or more electronic records to be deleted based on expiration of the deletion prevention time period;
• means for causing searching of the recipient computer for the electronic records to be deleted;
• and
• means for causing deletion of the electronic records to be deleted from the recipient computer.