Source Lifecycle Management

Sources have a lifecycle: onboarding, active monitoring, degradation, and retirement. Onboarding involves configuring the collector adapter, scoring initial credibility, and integrating the source into the analysis pipeline. Active monitoring is the steady state where the source produces data on its expected cadence. Degradation occurs when the source's reliability drops, its data format changes, or its update frequency decreases. Retirement removes the source from active collection when the cost of maintaining it exceeds the intelligence value it provides.

1. Onboarding Configure the collector adapter. Score initial credibility. Run a 30-day parallel test — collect from the new source alongside existing sources and verify that its data is consistent. Promote to active only after the parallel test passes.
2. Active Monitoring Track reliability score, update cadence, and contribution to synthesis findings. Sources that consistently contribute to intelligence products earn continued investment. Sources that produce data but never contribute to findings may be adding noise.
3. Retirement Sources that fail reliability thresholds, go offline for extended periods, or produce data that no longer contributes to intelligence products are retired from active collection. Archive the historical data. Document the retirement reason. Periodically review retired sources for potential reactivation.