This page contains information about the account lifecycle in the Identity Management.

The Identity Management lifecycle (IdM lifecycle) is a regular process that identifies accounts in the Identity Management (IdM accounts) which owners no longer have a recognizable connection to RWTH Aachen University.

• Why is the purpose of the IdM lifecycle?
• When does an IdM account enter the lifecycle?
• What happens in the lifecycle?
• What should I do if my IdM account has already been deleted?

What is the purpose of the IdM lifecycle?

The General Data Protection Regulation defines various reasons for deleting user related data (e.g., data minimization and necessity of data collection). For security reasons, it is also necessary to ensure that accounts are decommissioned so that they do not become orphaned (e.g., no new password has been set for a long time).

When does an IdM account enter the lifecycle?

An IdM account is maintained under the following conditions:

• a status such as "Student RWTH" or "Angehörige Organisationseinheit" (Member of an organisational unit)
• a regularly used e-mail account in the context of the service "RWTH E-Mail"
• a "keep-alive" signal from one of the data-leading systems like RWTHonline or RWTHmoodle

IdM accounts that fulfill none of these conditions fall into the lifecycle.

What happens in the lifecycle?

1. An IdM account that falls into the lifecycle will be marked with the date on which it was determined that none of the conditions mentioned above are met.
   Affected users can recognize this in self-service by a red notification box.
2. Affected users can clarify whether a status can be restored if necessary. For example, getting the role "Angehörige Organisationseinheit" (Member of an organisational unit) from one of RWTH's organizations they are close to.
   Upon receiving a new status, the IdM account exits from the lifecycle again.
3. If no new status has been acquired within six weeks, the IdM account will be finally deleted. The deletion only affects the user data stored in the Identity Management. Data in connected systems will be treated according to each system's regulations and may be subject to legal retention periods.

What should I do if my IdM account has already been deleted?

If your IdM account has already been deleted but you still have a connection to RWTH, you can register again in the Identity Management, e.g., by redeeming a coupon for the role "Angehörige Organisationseinheit" (Member of an organisational unit). When registering, you will receive a new username.