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 Archive File,
the default .af extension is added automatically.
If the Archive File exists, a run time prompt confirms that you want
to overwrite the file, unless you have disabled this Personal Option.
Refer to the Common Elements Manual section for Personal
Options for more information.
- 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 Archive 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 Optim process.
A macro is resolved when a process is run, generating a new name each
time the request is executed. (See the Common Elements Manual section for Enhanced File Names for information
about macros.)
- Browse
- To browse the contents of an existing Archive File,
right-click and select Browse from the shortcut
menu. For details, refer to the Common Elements Manual section
for Browse.
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
Archive 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 Archive 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.
For more
information about Optim™ security
features and FADs, refer to the Installation and Configuration
Guide section for Security.
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 Universal Naming Convention (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 Archive File and corresponding archived data. Also, you can reference
a group name to locate Archive 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 from the menu to open the Storage Profile
Definition Editor. Refer to Manage Archive Media for
complete information about defining a Storage Profile.
Process Options
- Row Limit
- Maximum number of rows to process.
If the Row Limit is reached during processing, the Archive File is
not registered in an Archive Directory Entry.
- blank
- Use the maximum limit specified in Product
Options. (See the Installation and Configuration
Guide section for 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 allows you to
troubleshoot your specifications for the process.
- Database Connections
- The number
of concurrent database connections for the Archive 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 may improve performance
when processing large quantities of data. However, increasing the
number of database connections to process small amounts of data may
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 instruct Archive 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 Archive 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 Archive Performance.)
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 choose options for compressing the Archive
File or specific tables in the Archive File. The Compression
Options dialog displays:
This dialog has the following options:
- Compress Archive File
- Select this check box to compress the Archive File. Next, select
a Compression Model.
- Compression Models:
- Choose the type of compression from this drop-down list:
- Inline Compression
- Data is compressed as it is extracted and before it is written
to the Archive File. Inline Compression has lower I/O and shorter
elapsed time for the Archive, though it requires longer time to be
connected to the database, when compared with Post Compression.
- Post Compression
- Data is compressed after it is extracted and written to the Archive
File. Compared with Inline Compression, Post Compression has a higher
I/O rate and a longer elapsed time for the Archive, though the connection
to the database is for a shorter time.
- Enable Active Compression
- Select this check box to perform compression on an individual
table basis.
- Default Table Threshold:
- 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, Optim compresses
any table in the Archive File that can be reduced in size by 20 percent
or more. Allowable values are 1 - 99.
- Table Threshold:
- Select this box to specify compression options for individual
tables. The Compression Table Threshold dialog
displays:

- Threshold
- For each table, specify ON or OFF for compression or specify a
value for Optim to 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 this 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. This is the default.
- OFF
- Sets compression OFF for this table.
- n
- Sets compression ON for this table and uses this value as the
threshold. Allowable values are 1 - 99. 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 that table.
Right-click on the line next to
the table name to display these options:
- Clear
- Clears any Threshold column setting for this table. Use Clear
All to clear Threshold column settings for all tables
in this Archive File.
- Compression Off
- Turns off compression for this table. Use Compression
Off All to turn off compression for all tables in this
Archive File. Selecting Compress Off All overrides
any value in the Threshold column.
- Compression On
- Turns on compression for this table. If Default Table
Threshold is specified, that 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 this Archive
File. Selecting Compression On All overrides
any value in the Threshold column.
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
may also include Archive Actions, or custom SQL statements, to be
executed at selected phases of an Archive, Delete, or Restore Process.
For complete information about Archive Actions, refer to the Common
Elements Manual Access Definitions section.
- Local
- Select this option to create an Access Definition
that is stored, and can be used only with the active Archive Request.
- Named
- Select this option to 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 existing Access Definition
or create a new one, click in the
menu to open the Access Definition Editor. Editing
may be necessary in the event of changes to database tables since
the last time the Access Definition was used. Optim displays a warning message when you open
the Access Definition, when you save the Access Definition, or when
you use the Access Definition.
Complete information
is available in the Common Elements Manual section on Access Definitions.
Report Options
If
creating a report on the contents of the Archive File, use the Report
Options to select the type of Report Request referenced in the Archive
Process (Local or Named) and, if using a named Report Request, to
provide the name. Report Options are available only if you select
the Create Report Process Option.
- Local
- Select this option to use a Report Request that
is stored, and can only be used, 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 an existing Report Request
or create a new one, click from the
menu to open the Report Request Editor. For complete
information, refer to Report.