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Time-to-Live (TTL) is a strategy that defines the lifespan or expiration period of data within a system. It specifies the duration for which data, particularly identifiers (IDs), remains valid and accessible. The TTL strategy is crucial for managing data freshness, security, and compliance with privacy regulations.

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Persistent IDs and Non-Persistent IDs

The following are the two types of identifiers available in the system:
  • Persistent IDs: These identifiers, like customer-specific IDs, are intended to persist indefinitely, often set to “Forever.” They have a longer TTL, ensuring their continuous availability and usability. Examples of Persistent IDs include email addresses, cellphone numbers, user identifiers and more.
  • Non-Persistent IDs: Unlike persistent IDs, these identifiers have a defined TTL after which they expire. The duration of their validity is determined by the TTL strategy. This ensures that outdated or irrelevant data is not retained unnecessarily, maintaining data freshness and optimising system performance. Examples of Non-Persistent IDs include TTD Cookies, Adobe Cookies, Zeotap Web ID and more.

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How TTL Works

When an identifier (ID) is ingested, it is stored in the system based on the TTL defined for that particular ID. For example, if the system ingests a TTD cookie ‘123’ on May 1, 2023, with a TTL of 90 days, then its expiry will be set to July 30, 2023. If the system ingests the same ID ‘123’ again on May 2, the expiry date in the existing user profile for the TTD cookie ‘123’ updates to July 31, 2023. Note that you can also modify the TTL for the ID in the Catalogue as per your requirement (say 90 days to 30 days). However, this change will be applied to the data ingested from that point onward only. Once the Identifier expires, the system will drop that identifier from the user profile.

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Default TTL Values

The below table shows the default TTL values for cookies and identifiers in the system.
Type of IdentifierDefault TTL
Third-Party Cookies90 days
First-Party Cookies180 days
First-Party Persistent IDsForever

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Modify TTL in Catalogue

You can configure the TTL values for Identifiers based on your requirements.The system retains the identifier according to the configured TTL. This flexibility allows you to align data retention with your privacy policies and user engagement strategies. To change/modify TTL for an Identifier, go to Catalogue and perform the following steps:
1
On the Catalogue screen, locate the Identifier for which you want to modify TTL.
2
Click the three dots next to the identifier and click Edit.
3
In the window that appears, navigate to Advanced Settings > TTL.
4
Update the TTL as needed. You can either choose Forever for persistent IDs or specify the number of days for non-persistent IDs.
5
Review the entered value and click Save.
Last modified on February 26, 2026