An access definition is a declaration that
identifies the start table, related tables, relationships, and selection
criteria that define the data to be processed.
An access definition identifies the tables, relationship traversal,
and selection criteria for the data that you want to process. An access
definition might also identify tables from which archived data is
deleted. It also provides parameters for indexes and archive actions:
user-defined SQL statements run at predefined points in an archive
or restore process. You can select a named access definition or create
an access definition for a single archive request.
Use an access definition to complete the following tasks:
- Identify the tables from which data is archived in the archive
process. You can insert the name of a single table and request that Optim™ reads and provides the names
of all related tables. One table is identified as the start table,
or table from which data is first archived.
- Identify tables from which data is deleted after archiving. You
can set an option to review and change your selections before data
is deleted.
- Select relationships to be traversed and the direction of traversal
when archiving the data. You can use relationships defined to the
database and create relationships in the Optim directory to replicate the relationships
that are managed by your applications.
- Define criteria for the set of related rows to be archived. The
criteria can be defined in either of the following ways:
- Selection criteria based on the age of the data or values in one
or more columns.
- A manually selected list of start table rows (Point and Shoot).
- Set up indexes to be created when data is archived.
- Establish archive actions to be run when data is archived or restored.
- Review how Optim traverses
the database to ensure that the correct data is archived (by using
the show steps function).