Data Lifecycle

Learn how data moves through the Avala platform from ingestion to archival.

Lifecycle Stages

1. Ingest

Data enters Avala through:

• Direct upload: Web UI or API
• Pipeline: Automated cloud storage sync
• Streaming: Real-time from vehicles

2. Process

Automatic processing includes:

• Validation: Schema and format checks
• Indexing: Full-text search indexing
• Thumbnails: Preview generation for visual data
• Metadata extraction: Automatic tag inference

3. Active Storage

Data in active storage:

• Immediately accessible via API and UI
• Stored on high-performance SSDs
• Replicated across availability zones
• Included in search results

4. Archive

Move older data to archive storage:

• Lower storage costs
• Retrieval requires restore request
• Maintain full metadata and searchability
• Configurable retention policies

5. Delete

Permanent deletion:

• Removes all data and metadata
• Cannot be undone
• Required for compliance (GDPR, etc.)

Retention Policies

Configure automatic lifecycle rules:

retention:
  active_days: 90
  archive_days: 365
  delete_after: 730
 
exceptions:
  - tag: "golden-set"
    action: keep_forever
  - tag: "temporary"
    active_days: 7

Storage Tiers