To archive data, you must create an archive request that includes the specifications for the data to be archived, called the access definition, and the parameters for the archive process. You can process the archive request immediately or schedule the process to run automatically, at predetermined intervals. You can also run the archive process from the command line by using overrides for specifications in the request.
Use the Archive Request Editor dialog to define parameters for processing the archive request. These parameters include the archive file, archive index file, group name, access definition, row limit and delete preferences. If archive file security is used to control access to data in the file, a file access definition is referenced and if Open Data Manager is used to access archived data, one or more archive file collections are referenced.
The archive file contains the selected, relationally intact data described in the access definition and the object definitions needed to re-create the database, if necessary. The archive file is stored locally on the client system or on a shared file server. Archive directory entries provide general information about each archive file and any archive indexes for the file.
After you have extracted data and created an archive file, you can browse the contents of the file to answer questions or satisfy a customer request. You can search archive directory entries, archive index files, and archive files, by using criteria for the files and data of interest. If necessary, you can restore selected data from the archive file. Also, using your own application, you can copy an archive file to tape, delete it from your disk files, and retain the archive directory entries on the client system or shared file server. The retained archive directory entries and archive index files can be searched to determine the archive files to be returned to disk for browsing or restoring.
The archive index file facilitates searches for archived data to browse or restore. Parameters for indexing archived data are specified in the access definition.
The access definition governs the overall archive process. An access definition identifies the tables, relationship traversal, and selection criteria for the data you want to archive, and may identify tables from which archived data is deleted. It also provides parameters for indexes and archive actions – user-defined SQL statements executed at predefined points in an archive or restore process. You can select a named access definition or create a new access definition for a single archive request. Use an access definition to accomplish the following tasks:
As a safeguard, you can limit the number of rows to be archived in a process. You can also choose to defer the deletion of rows from the database, or review an archive delete list before deleting the archived rows from the database.