Data Archiving

The Data from closed business processes, meaning data that is no longer needed in everyday business
processes, should be moved out of the database, in order to gain a reduction in costs, and improve
performance and system availability. Simply deleting this data is often not a valid option, due to legal data
retention requirements. This means that the data has to be removed from the database and stored in such a
way that it is always accessible for reading if necessary. This is the task of SAP Data Archiving, which
allows you to removed data from the database and stores it in a consistent and secure manner. The
archived data is stored in a file system and from there can be moved to other, more cost efficient storage
media.

Data archiving is an administrative task that must be performed regularly, particularly if you are facing
fast growing data volumes. How often you archive largely depends on the growth rate of your database
tables.
The technological foundation of data archiving is located in the SAP Net Weaver Application Server and
is available in two different variations:
ADK-based Archiving - ADK-based archiving is used only by ABAP applications that employ ABAP
archiving objects in their data archiving projects.
XML-based Archiving - XML-based archiving is employed for XML archiving objects that are used by
ABAP applications with XML interfaces, and for archiving sets used by JAVA applications.
ADK-Based Data Archiving
So far most of the archiving objects are available under the Archive Development Kit (ADK). Other
archiving objects and archiving sets are available under XML-based Archiving. Both the ADK and
XML Archive API provide basic functions and services for development and execution of archiving
programs. In both cases Archive Administration is the main function for Customizing and running data
archiving.
Tasks
The archiving process itself takes place in three steps. Step three "Accessing Archived Data" is not part of
the archiving process itself, but it plays an important role with respect to how archived data can be used,
and is therefore included in this document.
To facilitate the tasks of data archiving, the role Data Archiving Administrator is available in the SAP
system. Its technical name is SAP_BC_CCM_DATA_ARCHIVING and can be called via role
maintenance (transaction PFCG). The role offers the system or data archiving administrator direct access
to all the information, tools, and systems necessary for data archiving.
1. Analysis
You must first determine which of your database tables are growing the fastest, and using this information
you can select the archiving objects that would be the most beneficial for reducing the size of your
system.
For a more detailed description see Analysis.
2. Archiving Data and Monitoring Archiving Activities
a. Making the system settings necessary for data archiving
b. Scheduling, controlling and monitoring archiving jobs
For a more detailed description see Archiving Data and Monitoring Archiving Activities.
3. Accessing Archived Data
In this step you configure and perform the access to archived data.
For a more detailed description see Accessing Archived Data.

Additional Information
Introduction to Data Archiving
This documentation provides more detailed information on the data archiving technologies and processes.
SAP Service Marketplace, Quick Link /data-archiving
The SAP Data Archiving Website offers a large selection of additional information about data archiving.
Here you can find guides, white papers, presentations, etc.
Data Management Guide
This guide contains important and the most up to date information on handling large data volumes in the
SAP system. The guides deal not only with data archiving, but also data prevention, deletion and
aggregation.
The Data Management Guide is available in SAP Service Marketplace under /data-archiving Media
Library Literature & Brochures.
Analysis
During the analysis phase you must first identify the size of the database and analyze the growth of the
database tables. This will help you recognize which data you need to archive from which tables. Based on
this information, you select the archiving objects with which the contents of the most critical tables can be
archived.
There are several tools you can use to help you during the analysis phase. It is however necessary for you
to be familiar with these tools and how to interpret the data they produce.
Database Monitor
You can use the database monitor (transaction DB02) to determine the size of different tables and display
their growth in the past. Using the transaction you can view important statistics about the database. The
display of the database monitor depends on the database system you are using. For an Oracle database, for
example, the amount of free table space or the size and growth of individual tables and indexes.
In addition to the database monitor you can also use SAPDBA and the Performance Monitor (ST03), for
other indicators in the context of data archiving. The function Tables and Archiving Objects (see below),
which can be reached via the Disc Space (Statistics) push button, also provides information on disk space.
Table Analysis
You can use this function (transaction TAANA) to analyze database tables based on specific fields or a
field value combination. This is done using analysis variants that contain corresponding field lists. The
analyses help you determine which archiving objects you should use and can indicate which selection
criteria would produce the best results during archiving. It helps you avoid, for example, examining
archiving objects or organizational units that would contribute little to the data volume in your system.
For more detailed information see Table Analysis.
Tables and Archiving Objects
After you have identified the critical tables, you need to identify which archiving objects are responsible
for these tables. You can do this with the help of the Tables and Archiving Objects function (transaction
DB15).
This function shows which tables are assigned to which archiving objects and vice versa. This allows you
to identify a specific archiving object for archiving the data from the tables that were identified in the first
analysis phase.
For more information see Tables and Archiving Objects.

Archiving Data and Monitoring Archiving Activities

The following archiving objects are available for archiving in SAP Web Application Server:
Objects in SAP Web AS
Archiving Objects
User Master Change Documents: User Authorizations
US_USER
User Master Change Documents: Authorizations
US_AUTH
User Master Change Documents: Authorization Profiles
US_PROF
Workitems
WORKITEMS
IDocs
IDOC
Customizing Table Changes
BC_DBLOGS
ArchiveLink Entries
ARCHIVELNK
Archive Management Data
BC_ARCHIVE
SAP Product
PRODUCT_MD
For more information on how to use these archiving objects see

Data Archiving in SAP Web AS.

SAP Business Information Warehouse (SAP BW) also provides an archiving solution, which differs from
archiving in SAP Web AS. For more information see Data Archiving.
System Settings for Data Archiving
As part of data archiving you must make different system settings for controlling the archiving process.
The settings are made in archiving Customizing, which you can reach from Archive Administration by
choosing Customizing. Customizing is divided into the following areas:
Basis Customizing
Here you can determine the file names and paths under which the archive files are to be created within the
context of ADK-based archiving. File names and paths can be created for specific clients (transaction
FILE) or cross-client (transaction SF01). For XML-based archiving you must also configure the
appropriate home paths and the XML Data Archiving Service.
Cross-Archiving-Object Customizing
The settings you make here apply to all archiving objects. This includes for example settings for
interrupting the write phase or entering server groups for background processing.
Archiving-Object-Specific Customizing
These settings apply to individual archiving objects and include, for example, determining the size of an
archive file, indicating whether the delete program should run in the test or production mode, and
specifying that the storage phase should occur before or after the delete phase (ADK-based archiving
only). The Archive Routing function is used to establish rules and conditions for routing data to specific
content repositories during the store phase of data archiving.
For more information on Customizing for Data Archiving, see Customizing.
Scheduling, Controlling and Monitoring Archiving Jobs
The following tools are available for scheduling, controlling and monitoring archiving jobs:
Archive Administration
Archiving jobs (write, delete, etc.) are scheduled using Archive Administration (transaction SARA). This
transaction is also the central entry point for most other user activities in Data Archiving, such as data
storage and retrieval, or Customizing.
For more information see Archive Administration (ADK-based Archiving) and Archive
Administration: XML Archiving.
Data Archiving Monitor
The Data Archiving Monitor (transaction SAR_SHOW_MONITOR) is used to analyze information
relevant for data archiving. It offers an overview of all archiving objects that were used for archiving data,
detailed information about the archiving sessions, and a progress indicator on the processing of archive

files. In order for you to be able to view updated information you must switch on the Data Archiving
Monitor in cross-archiving-object Customizing (see above).
The Data Archiving Monitor is part of the CCMS Monitor Group (transaction RZ20) and is available
under SAP CCMS Monitor Templates Database Data Archiving.
For more information see Data Archiving Monitor.
Logs
This function can be accessed from within Archive Administration by choosing Logs. It offers central
access to the most important logs generated during data archiving, such as job overview, job log, spool
list and the application log. These logs provide information about the progress of the archiving sessions
and the processing of the different objects during archiving.
For more information see Logs.
Access to Archived Data
SAP data that has been archived must be accessible for reading. The following tools are provided for
accessing archived data:
Archive Information System
The Archive Information System (transaction SARI) allows you to configure your own archive
information structures (archive indexes), fill them with data from the archive and use them to search for
archived data. It is only possible to access archived data if such an infostructure exists and has been filled.
This can be done automatically during the delete phase or at a later point in time, manually.
For more information see Archive Information System.
Document Relationship Browser
The Document Relationship Browser (DRB) is used to show business objects and the links and
relationships between business objects. Generally these are documents that were created as part of one
business process or that belong to a common business process. DRB can display archived data as well as
data in the database.
In the SAP Web Application Server IDOCs and Work Items are connected to the DRB. For more
information see DRB in SAP Net Weaver Components.
Archive File Browser
The Archive File Browser (transaction AS_AFB) offers functions to display the contents of archive files.
It offers a technical view of archived tables, much like the Data Browser (transaction SE16) does for
database data. The Archive File Browser is particularly useful for administrators (of data archiving) and
someone who might be looking for problems that occurred during archiving, or that wants to search
archived data. It is not an end-user tool.
For more information see Archive File Browser.

XML-Based Archiving
XML archiving is primarily used for XML archiving objects implemented by ABAP applications with
XML interfaces, and archiving sets implemented by JAVA applications.
Technical System Landscape
For an overview of the technical concepts of XML-based Archiving see Technical System Landscape.
Prerequisites
Before you can begin with XML-based data archiving you must perform several configuration and
customizing steps. For a summary of these steps see Prerequisites.
Tasks
Once you have completed the configuration steps you can begin archiving your data. A typical XMLbased archiving project consists of an analysis phase and the actual archiving phase.
Analysis
In this phase you identify the largest or fastest growing database tables and decide which archiving
objects you should use to obtain the most benefits from data archiving. The procedure may differ,
depending on whether you are working within an ABAP or JAVA scenario.
For XML-based archiving within an ABAP scenario:
See Data Archiving in the Technical Operations Manual under ABAP
For XML-based archiving within a JAVA scenario:
There are currently two archiving sets available for this scenario for XI data: XI_SEC and XI_AF_MSG.
If you notice strong data growth in these areas, you can use these archiving sets to reduce the size of the
corresponding tables. For more information on these archiving objects see Security Archiving and
Archiving Messages. For general information see Data Archiving in XI.
Archiving Your Data and Monitoring
In this phase you set the parameters for your archiving sessions and then execute the sessions:
Customizing Settings
Scheduling, running and monitoring archiving sessions
These are described in more detail as part of this Technical Operations Manual under Archiving Your
Data (XML-based Archiving).
Additional Information
The following sources of information can help you answer open questions on XML-based data archiving:
Configuration Guides for ABAP and J2EE Applications
Step by step guides for configuring the environments for XML-based data archiving. Available in SAP
Service Marketplace (http://service.sap.com) under /instguidesNW70.
SAP Library or SAP Help Portal (http://help.sap.com)
The SAP Library can be reached from the SAP system via Help SAP Library or via a Web browser
under the address given above.
General Overview
(ABAP-focused; provides a comprehensive overview of XML-based archiving)
Security Guide
(provides information especially about user authorization and client authentication; available in English
only)
Administration
(Describes the tasks necessary for the administration of the XML Data Archiving Service and the
available functions; this documentation is part of the J2EE documentation and only available in English)
Additional application-specific documentation on XML-based archiving may be available in the SAP
Library. For Data Archiving in XI see:
Data Archiving in XI (Technical Operations Manual)
Security Archiving
Archiving Messages

See also:
SAP Note 826000: Sources of Information for SAP XML-Based Data Archiving
SAP Note 71930: Sources of Information for SAP Data Archiving