To access archived data, you must be able to find it. By organizing archive files using purposeful conventions and implementing well-conceived indexing, you lay the groundwork for efficient searches of archived data. Together, archive directory entries and indexes support your ability to search or restore archive files. You can also use directory entries to create archive file collections, which allow you to logically union entries as a single data source for access with open data manager (ODM).
An archive directory entry is a row in a database table that indicates the tables from which the data is archived, the date of archiving, the Optim™ server on which the file resides, and the name of any associated storage profile and index file. The directory entry includes a globally unique identifier (GUID) for the archive file that is generated in processing and also identifies each archive file by name, group, and description. These entries can be searched very quickly, in order to identify archive files that are candidates for further processing.
Index files are also stored on disk and can be searched for specific data more readily and efficiently than archive files—especially very large archive files or files stored on secondary media (for example, tape). Each table in an archive file can have as many as 64 indexes in the index file. Thus, the combination of archive directory information with well-conceived indexes provides powerful support for automated or manual searches of archive files, regardless of the media on which the files are stored.
Over time, your applications probably evolve and your searches for archived data change. In other words, it is likely that your requirements for accessing archived data change over time. For example, indexes that are adequate to locate archived inventory data by part number in 2010, are not of much help in 2016 if you discover an unanticipated need to restore data for a particular vendor. Also, your storage configuration might change or you might move archive files or indexes from one location or server to another. If so, you must update or create a new archive directory entry. Archive maintenance utilities can help you manage these changes and maintain directory Entries and indexes.
Use the archive directory maintenance utility to:
Use the registration utility to create new entries for archive files imported from a different location or for which the entry has been removed. For example, files that are imported from off-site locations, or from another server, must be registered.
Use the archive index utility to analyze, update, delete, or add indexes for a group of archive files.
Use the Archive File Collection Editor to create an archive file collection and add files to a collection.
The Suspend Auto Delete option is available to users who have this functional privilege. It allows a user to turn on or off the Archive Retention Automatic delete feature. A checkmark indicates whether or not the current user is authorized to suspend auto delete.
This section explains how to maintain the archive directory, add entries to the directory using the archive registration utility, create archive indexes using the archive index maintenance utility, and create archive file collections.