Use this tab to identify the access definition that describes
the data to be archived and the files where the archived data and
indexes are stored. You can also select processing options that help
you troubleshoot the archive or delete process.
Archive File
The archive
file name. When you enter the name of a new or existing file, the
default .af extension is added automatically.
If the file exists, a run time prompt confirms that you want to overwrite
the file, unless you have disabled this personal option.
- Path
- You can include an explicit path with the file name
(network drives resolve to the appropriate universal naming convention
(UNC) name) or, by providing no path, store the file in the default
archive directory specified in personal options. If writing the archive
file to secondary media, however, you must provide the path to the
desired device.
- Automated Processes
- If you want to automate your process by running
the archive request from the command line or the scheduler, you can
use macros to dynamically create unique file names for each process. A macro
is resolved when a process is run, generating a new name each time
the request is executed.
- Browse
- To browse the contents of an existing Archive File,
right-click and select Browse from the shortcut
menu.
File Access Definition
If archive file security is implemented at your
facility, you can enter the name of a new or existing file access
definition (FAD) to secure files created by running the archive request.
Use the browse button to display a selection list of FADs or type
the two-part name, identifier.name.
If you enter the name of an FAD that does not exist,
any files created by running this archive request are not accessible
until the FAD is created. Once a file is created, you cannot associate
the file with a different FAD.
Archive Index File
An
archive index file facilitates searches for a particular archive file
to browse or restore. Parameters for indexing archived data are provided
on the Table Specifications dialog within the Access
Definition Editor. By default, Archive Index
File is populated with the name in Archive
File and given the extension .afx.
You can change the default name or extension or, if archived data
is not indexed, delete the default name.
- Path
- You can include an explicit path with the file name (network drives
resolve to the appropriate UNC name) or, by providing no path, store
the file in the default archive index directory specified in personal
options.
Group
A group
name for the archive file. Logical group names help qualify and categorize
the file and corresponding archived data. Also, you can reference
a group name to locate files for searching or restoring data. For
these reasons, group naming conventions may be important.
Storage Profile
A storage
profile is needed to override personal options settings for
segment size, to create a duplicate archive file, to copy an archive
file to a backup device, or to implement a retention policy for the
primary archive file. Use the browse button to display a selection
list of storage profiles or type the name.
To
edit an existing storage profile or create a new one, click to open the Storage Profile Definition Editor.
Process Options
- Row Limit
- Maximum number of rows to process.
If the row limit is reached during processing, processing stops and
the archive file is not registered.
- blank
- Use the maximum limit specified in product options.
- n
- A number from 1 to the maximum limit specified in
product options.
You can use a row limit as a validation check when
archiving data. For example, if you expect to archive fewer than
1000 rows from a table, using a row limit that causes the process
to fail if the number of archived rows exceeds 1000 helps you to troubleshoot
your specifications for the process.Note: For
Teradata, the number specified here for the start table is used with
the Teradata SQL extension keyword SAMPLE in any SQL SELECT statement.
That information is used by the Teradata optimizer to identify the
maximum number of rows to be retrieved. For example, SAMPLE 100 in
a SELECT statement means you want up to 100 rows retrieved.
- Database Connections
- The number
of concurrent database connections for the process. Available if Maximum
Database Connections as set on the Database tab
for product options is 2 or greater.
- 1
- Use a single connection
- 2 to site maximum
- To increase the maximum number of connections, select
an even number or (Maximum) from the drop-down
list.
Increasing the number of database connections in order
to use multiple threads to archive rows concurrently might improve
performance when processing large quantities of data. However, increasing
the number of database connections to process small amounts of data
might decrease performance.
- Defer Delete after Archive
- If the access definition includes instructions to
delete archived rows from database tables, you can select this check
box to bypass those instructions. Rows selected for deletion can be
deleted in a separate process. This check box is selected by default.
Clear the check box to execute delete instructions during the process.
- Review Archive Delete List
- Select this check box to display the Delete
After Archive Specifications dialog during processing.
Use this dialog to review and override access definition delete options
for the tables to be archived. Review Archive Delete List is
unavailable if Defer Delete after Archive is
selected.
- Create Report
- Select
this check box to enable report options. You can use a report request
to create a report about the contents of the Archive File.
- Generate Statistical Report
- Statistical
information may help you troubleshoot performance. (For more information,
see Performance Tuning Strategies.)
This check box is selected by default to include statistical information
in the Archive Process Report.
- Process File Attachments
- This check box is selected by default to archive
file attachments identified in the access definition.
- Compression Options
- Select this box to open the Compression Options dialog
and choose options for compressing the archive file, archive index
file, or specific tables in the archive file.
This dialog has the following options:
- Compress Archive File
- Select this check box to compress the archive file.
- Compress Index File
- Select this check box to compress the archive index file.
- Compression Models:
- If Compress Archive File is selected, choose
the type of compression from this list. If you select Compress
Index File only, inline compression is used.
- Inline Compression
- Data is compressed as it is extracted and before it is written
to the file. Inline compression has lower I/O, when compared with
post compression, but uses database resources for the duration of
the process. At the same time, inline compression requires less storage
resources during processing when compared to post compression.
- Post Compression
Data is extracted and written to an uncompressed file. In
a second step, the uncompressed file is read and a compressed version
written. The benefit of post compression is that database connections
are closed earlier than with inline compression. However, the total
elapsed time is increased because the uncompressed file must be closed,
read, and a compressed version created.
Sites having concerns
about database resource contention may find post compression useful
as it shortens the time database resources are needed. However, post
compression increases the elapsed time and storage requirements for
processing. Although increased storage is necessary during the compression
operation, that temporary storage required is released when the compression
is completed.
- Enable Active Compression
- Select this check box to perform compression on an individual
table basis.
- Default:
- Specify the default threshold for compressing the tables in the
archive file. Choose a value for the percentage of reduction in table
size that you expect compression to achieve. For example, if you specify
a value of 20, any table in the file that can be reduced in size by
20 percent or more is compressed. Allowable values are 1 - 99.
- Table Threshold:
- Select this box to specify compression options for individual
tables and open the Compression Table Threshold dialog:

- Threshold
- For each table, select ON or OFF for compression or provide a
value for use as the compression threshold. If no value is specified
for a table, the default is to set compression on and use the Default
Table Threshold. Allowable values are:
- ON
- Sets compression ON for the table. This is the default. The Default
Table Threshold value is used to determine whether compression
is performed. If no value is specified for Default Table
Threshold, the table is compressed.
- OFF
- Sets compression OFF for the table.
- n
- Sets compression ON for the table and uses the value as the threshold.
The threshold value is the minimum amount of reduction in size that
you expect to achieve by compressing the table. Enter a value in the
range 1 - 99 to set a threshold value for a table.
Right-click the line next to a table name to display
these options:
- Clear
- Clears any threshold setting for the table. Use Clear
All to clear settings for all tables in the file.
- Compression Off
- Turns off compression for the table. Use Compression
Off All to turn off compression for all tables in the
file.
- Compression On
- Turns on compression for the table. If a Default Table
Threshold is specified, the default value determines whether
to compress the table. If no Default Table Threshold is
specified, the table is compressed. Use Compression On
All to turn on compression for all tables in the file.
Selecting Compression On All overrides any
value in Threshold.
Access Definition Options
An
access definition identifies the start table and other tables from
which data is archived, as well as the data to be archived, the relationships
used in the process and the directions in which they are traversed,
and columns to be indexed. The access definition can also include actions, or custom SQL statements, to be executed
at selected phases of an archive, delete, or restore process.
- Local
- Select this option to create an access definition
embedded with the active archive request.
- Named
- Select this option to create an access definition
stored in the Optim directory
and available for use with other process requests. Selecting this
option activates Access Definition Name.
- Access Definition Name
- The two-part name of an access definition, entered
as identifier.name.
- identifier –
Qualifier (1 - 8 characters) to identify the access definition.
- name –
Name of the access definition (1 - 12 characters).
To edit an access definition or create
a new one, click to open the Access
Definition Editor. Editing might be necessary in the event
of changes to database tables.
Report Options
If
creating a report on the contents of the archive file, use the report
options to select the type of report request used in the archive process
(Local or Named) and, if using a named report request, to provide
the name. Report Options is available only
if you select the Create Report process option.
- Local
- Select this option to use a report request that
is embedded with the active archive request.
- Named
- Select this option to use a named report request,
stored in the directory and to activate Report Request
Name.
- Report Request Name
- The two-part name of the report request as identifier.name.
- identifier –
Qualifier (1 - 8 characters) to identify the Report Request.
- name –
Name of the Report Request (1 - 12 characters).
The report type for the named report request
must be File.
To edit a report request or create
a new one, click from the menu to open the Report
Request Editor. For complete information, refer to Report.