The present invention provides systems and methods for extending media
retention. Methods are provided in which a set of aging preferences are
obtained. Data elements of a data set stored on storage media are
evaluated against the aging preferences to determine whether each of the
data elements satisfy the aging preferences. Each of the data elements
that is determined to satisfy the aging preferences is aged. Aging can
include freeing a portion of storage media, previously used to store a
data element, for other storage usage.