Use the Extract Process to copy a set of related rows from one or more tables and save the rows to an external Extract File. Specifications for the Extract Process are stored as an Extract Request.
The Extract Request specifies the set of parameters needed to extract data and object definitions from source tables and the Extract File in which to store the extracted information.
The Extract Process always extracts definitions for tables and columns. These definitions are used to create the destination tables, if necessary. You can also choose to extract other object definitions, including primary keys, relationships, and indexes.
You use an Extract File to Convert, Extract, Insert, or Load data, and to Create objects in a destination database. An Extract File can be used repeatedly and simultaneously by many users.
You can create Extract Files on fixed or secondary storage media. Fixed media include local hard drives, network drives, or servers. Examples of secondary media include diskettes and zip disks.
Factors that influence the type of storage to use depend on your business objectives. Specific factors to consider include:
For example, if quick access to Extract Files is of primary importance, you may decide to store Extract Files on the hard disk. However, if the need for off-site storage and portability is the primary consideration, secondary media would be the more logical choice.
Durability of the media type could be another consideration — for Extract Files you must retain for an extended period of time, a network storage system may be the best choice. Conversely, tape storage might be more desirable for short-term storage, due to the large capacity and cost-effectiveness of the media.
Although Optim™ can create Extract Files on fixed media, you can also direct Extract Files to secondary media, e.g., a drive for removable media or a NetApp SnapLock device — simply by providing the path to the appropriate device with the file name. You can also use Optim with a hierarchical storage management (HSM) system.
You cannot directly specify a tape drive as the path in order to place an Extract File on tape. However, you can copy Extract Files from disk to tape or other secondary media using the appropriate vendor software and remove the files from disk. (Note that you must arrange to return a file to disk for processing or browsing.)
If your facility uses an HSM system, files can be migrated to tape or other secondary media and removed from disk in the normal course of HSM processing. You can transfer management of Extract Files to the Symantec VERITAS Enterprise Vault by providing the path to the device with the file name.
When an Extract File is created on removable media, the capacity of the media must be considered. If an Extract File is larger than the space on the target media, the file must be divided into segments to allow the file to span more than one volume. You can specify segment size values for fixed and removable media in Personal Options. See the Common Elements Manual for further information.
The Extract Process can access data from a variety of databases (DB2®, Oracle, Sybase ASE, SQL Server, and Informix®). You can create Extract Files to move data between the Windows and MVS™ platforms. An Extract File created with the Optim solution for the IBM® z/OS™ environment can also be used with Move. (An Extract File created using Move, however, is not compatible with the Optim z/OS® Solution. Use Move to move data from a Windows platform into DB2 UDB for z/OS.)
You can process an Extract Request immediately by clicking , or you can schedule the request for processing at a later time by clicking . You must save the request before it is scheduled, but it is not necessary to save the request before it is run.
The fully qualified name of an Extract Request consists of: identifier.name.
When you create Extract Requests, it is helpful to use a logical set of naming conventions to identify the use for each and to organize definitions for easy access.
This section explains how to create, maintain, and process an Extract Request, including how to: