Using Object Lifecycle Management in Cloud Storage is the most effective way to automate the deletion of data after a specific retention period. This feature allows you to define rules that govern the lifecycle of your objects stored in Cloud Storage. By creating a lifecycle rule, you can specify conditions for when objects should be deleted, thus ensuring that data is automatically removed after it has reached its designated retention age.
This automation is particularly useful for maintaining compliance with data management policies and minimizing unnecessary storage costs by removing obsolete data. For instance, you can set rules based on the object's age or specific storage class transitions, making it a flexible solution for managing data lifecycle in a structured manner.
Other options do not effectively address the need for automatic data deletion based on a retention schedule. Bucket Policies are primarily used for access control and do not handle automated deletion tasks. Storage Classes relate to how data is stored and accessed but do not provide a mechanism for automatic deletion. A Data Retention Policy indicates how long information must be kept but would require manual enforcement without the automated capabilities that Object Lifecycle Management offers. Hence, using Object Lifecycle Management is the preferred choice for this requirement.