1. A computer system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more computer readable hardware storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions being executable by the one or more processors to cause the computer system to automatically manage and protect a first data item in an organizational computer network by implementing and maintaining a protection method that is applied to that first data item throughout various instances of that first data item's lifecycle by causing the computer system to: create a plurality of information profiles, wherein each information profile defines a set of policies that are usable to control access to data items; assign at least one information profile to the first data item, wherein the at least one information profile defines a particular set of policies for the first data item; cause an agent component of the computer system to poll a protection management server to check for any updates to the particular set of policies, wherein checking for the updates is performed at least each time the computer system performs a boot up; after receiving a response from the protection management server, apply said any updates; apply the particular set of policies to the first data item such that access to the first data item is controlled by the particular set of policies; and in response to identifying a transformation to the first data item, cause a notification to be sent to an identified user of the first data item, the notification describing a new access method for accessing content of the first data item, the new access method being implemented in response to the transformation.