Decide the ultimate fate of the data once active usage ends.

• Preserve: Archive valuable data using the 3-2-1 backup strategy: use multiple types of storage media (cloud, network servers, hard disks), and keep at least one backup in a different geographic location.

• Secure Destruction: If data must be destroyed due to privacy laws (e.g., GDPR), use secure methods like overwriting (replacing data with random noise), degaussing (using a magnetic field to erase drives), or physical destruction (shredding media). For published data, leave a "tombstone" landing page to maintain historical reference.