Our video management system, Panopto, 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, we developed a new Panopto retention policy that started in January of 2023.
Our new Panopto retention policy identifies and archives 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 since being archived and automatically delete it.
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 from the archival date 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 from the archival date 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 stored content. 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. Be sure to download your captions from Panopto as well.
- Once downloaded, you can also upload your videos to YouTube for online storage. Be sure to select your desired YouTube video privacy settings. Also, upload your captions or have YouTube auto-caption your videos.
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.
Where do I get help?
For further assistance, please contact us at support@swarthmore.edu.