Panopto Retention Policy

Panopto, our video management system, is changing its licensing model which will significantly increase the cost of stored content. In order to ensure only content being actively used is stored, a new Panopto retention policy will start on January 30th, 2023.

This process will identify and archive videos that have not received any views in 3 years. Archived videos are still retrievable, however, it may take up to 48 hours for them to be restored.

Once a video is archived, the process will identify any video that hasn’t been viewed in 1 year and automatically delete it. This process will not remove folders, only the video content inside the folders.

What is the Panopto retention policy?

The steps below outline the process of the automatic movement of Panopto content between three states: live, archived, and deleted. The policy will be as follows:

1. On January 30, 2023, all live content created on or before January 30, 2023, that has NOT been viewed in 3 years will be automatically moved into Panopto’s archive storage. This covers all Panopto recordings in courses and personal folders (also known as 'My Folder'). Archived videos are still retrievable, however, it may take up to 48 hours for them to be restored.

2. Recordings held in the archive are not playable, but may still appear within their original locations (for example, embedded in Moodle), or within the Panopto folder. Users attempting to play back the recording will see a message indicating that the content has been archived and will be offered the option to restore the content.

3. Users wishing to use or retain content in the archive may move this content back into the live area manually.

4. ITS will run a scan of Panopto once every month to see if there are any videos that have not been viewed in 3 years and move them to be archived.

5. Every July 1st, all content held in the archive on this date that has NOT been viewed in 1 year, will be permanently deleted.

6. This means that any user who wishes to retain content created on or before January 30, 2023, must take action to restore it from the archive before June 30, 2024.

What is changing in Panopto?

A new Panopto video retention policy identifies, archives, and removes old videos that are no longer being viewed. Videos that have not been viewed in 3 years will be archived. Once archived, videos that have not been viewed in 1 year will be deleted starting July 1, 2024.

Why is this change happening?

Due to Panopto's pricing model increase, it has become expensive to store videos. We want to make sure we are paying for videos that are actively being used and archiving or deleting those videos that aren't being used in order to remain cost-effective.

When is the change starting?

This change will go into effect starting January 30, 2023. Videos that have not been viewed in 3 years will be archived. Once archived, videos that have not been viewed in 1 year will be deleted starting July 1, 2024.

What Panopto sessions will be removed?

Videos that have not been viewed in 3 years will be archived. Once archived, videos that have not been viewed in 1 year will be deleted starting July 1, 2024.

What do I need to do?

Archiving and deletion will take place automatically. If you do not wish to retain any content, no further action is necessary.

If you have content you wish to restore from the archive, you will need to access Panopto between January 30th, 2023, and July 1st, 2024 to restore it to the live system. Restoration generally can take up to 48 hours depending on the recording length and system load, but usually happens quite quickly. Please visit Panopto's support page for instructions on how to restore content.

If you would like to retain a copy of a recording, you have a few options:

• Reach out to ITS to make a request for us to create an exception for your specific recording(s).

• Download the Panopto video as an MP4 file and store it on your computer, on an external hard drive, or on your Google Drive.

• Once downloaded, you can also upload your videos to YouTube for online storage. Be sure to select your desired YouTube video privacy settings.

If you have video content in Moodle that has already been archived, you'll need to restore it first and then download it.

How do I restore content from the Panopto archive?

Visit Panopto's support page for instructions on how to restore content, or contact ITS for support by emailing support@swarthmore.edu.

How do I download Panopto content onto my computer?

Visit Panopto's support page for instructions on how to download video or audio streams as MP4s and how to download captions.

What if I need something that was removed from a Panopto folder?

Contact the ITS Help Desk as soon as you notice something that is missing. Archived videos can be restored within 48 hours. For deleted videos, there is a 90-day recovery window after something has been removed. Be sure to review your course materials before publishing courses each semester.

I have a lecture recorded and stored in Panopto that is important for the College to retain. What do I do?

If there are videos that are important for your department or the College to keep (even without being viewed in 3 years), please reach out to ITS to make a request for us to create an exception for your specific recording(s).

Where do I get help?

For further assistance, please contact us at support@swarthmore.edu.