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 Archive Indexes support your ability to search or restore Archive Files. You can also use Directory entries to create an Archive File Collection, which allows you to logically union the entries as a single data source for access with Open Data Manager (ODM).
An Archive Directory entry indicates the database tables from which the data was archived, the date the data was archived, the Optim™ Server on which the Archive File resides, and the name of any associated Archive Index File or Storage Profile. The Directory entry includes a globally unique identifier (GUID) for the Archive File that is generated in the Archive Process and also identifies each Archive File by Name, Group, and Description.
Archive Directory entries are rows in a database table and can be searched very quickly, in order to identify Archive Files that are candidates for further processing. Archive 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 Archive Files stored on secondary media (for example, tape). Each table in an Archive File can have as many as 16 indexes in the Archive Index File. Thus, the combination of Archive Directory information with well-conceived Archive Indexes provides powerful support for automated or manual searches of Archive Files, regardless of the media on which the Archive Files are stored.
Over time, your applications may evolve and your searches for archived data change. In other words, it is likely that your requirements for accessing archived data will change. For example, Archive Indexes that were adequate to locate archived inventory data by part number in 2010 will not be of much help in 2016 if you discover an unanticipated need to restore data for a particular vendor. Also, your storage configuration may change or you may move Archive Files or Archive Indexes from one location or Optim Server to another. If so, you must update or create a new Archive Directory Entry. In addition to the general utilities described in the Common Elements Manual, Archive provides maintenance utilities to help you manage these changes and maintain Archive Directory Entries and Archive Indexes.
Use the Archive Directory Maintenance Utility to:
Use the Archive Registration Utility to create new Archive Entries for Archive Files imported from a different location or for which the entry has been removed. For example, Archive Files that are imported from off-site locations, or from another Optim Server, must be registered.
Use the Archive Index Utility to analyze, update, delete, or add indexes for a group of Archive Files in one operation.