Microsoft Purview: Using Records Management and Data Lifecycle Management Together
A law firm needs to retain client documents for 10 years after case closure, but automatically delete drafts after 30 days. Which two Microsoft Purview solutions should be combined?
Quick Answer
The correct combination is Microsoft Purview Records Management and Data Lifecycle Management. Records Management is designed for high-value content like client documents that must be retained for a fixed period—here, 10 years after case closure—while Data Lifecycle Management handles non-record content such as drafts, applying shorter retention and automatic deletion after 30 days. On the SC-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how these two solutions divide responsibilities: Records Management governs records with legal or regulatory hold requirements, whereas Data Lifecycle Management manages routine data cleanup. A common trap is confusing eDiscovery or Audit for retention tasks, but remember that eDiscovery is for search and Audit for logging, not lifecycle control. For a quick memory tip: think “Records for the long haul, Lifecycle for the short haul.”
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse Data Lifecycle Management with Data Loss Prevention or eDiscovery, mistakenly thinking DLP or eDiscovery can enforce retention or deletion policies, when in fact only Records Management and Data Lifecycle Management provide the necessary lifecycle controls.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Microsoft Purview Records Management and Data Lifecycle Management
Microsoft Purview Records Management enables the firm to mark client documents as records and enforce a 10-year retention period after case closure, while Data Lifecycle Management allows automatic deletion of drafts after 30 days. Together, they provide both long-term retention for compliance and short-term cleanup for non-record content, aligning with the firm's specific requirements.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention and eDiscovery
Why it's wrong here
DLP and eDiscovery do not manage retention.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview eDiscovery and Audit
Why it's wrong here
eDiscovery and Audit do not configure retention.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview Audit and Data Loss Prevention
Why it's wrong here
Audit logs; DLP prevents data loss, not retention.
- ✓
Microsoft Purview Records Management and Data Lifecycle Management
Why this is correct
Records Management for regulatory records and Data Lifecycle Management for non-records.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Compliance Concepts
Key term
Microsoft Purview
Microsoft Purview is a unified data governance and compliance service that helps organizations discover, manage, and protect their data across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
Key term
Records Management
Records management is the systematic control of an organization's records, from creation or receipt through processing, distribution, maintenance, storage, retrieval, and disposal, ensuring integrity, compliance, and availability.
About these practice questions
This SC-900 question is part of Courseiva's 1,250-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on SC-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Your organization is required to retain all HR-related documents for 7 years after an employee leaves. After that period, the documents must be permanently deleted. Which two Microsoft Purview features should you use together?
medium- A.eDiscovery and audit logs
- B.DLP policies and sensitivity labels
- C.Sensitivity labels and auto-labeling
- ✓ D.Retention labels and retention policies
Why D: Retention labels and retention policies. Retention labels allow you to apply retention settings (e.g., retain for 7 years then delete) to specific documents, while retention policies enforce those settings at the location level (e.g., all HR document libraries). Option A (eDiscovery and audit logs) is for search and audit, not retention. Option B (DLP policies and sensitivity labels) is for data protection and classification, not retention. Option C (Sensitivity labels and auto-labeling) is for classification and automated labeling, not retention.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SC-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SC-900 exam.