The most powerful and indeed reassuring feature of data archiving is that all archived data can be accessed from within SAP. The question that follows is: how do I access the archived data? There are two possibilities: a) The slowest and most costless way: using the standard reports that read the contents of the archive files containing the archived data sequentially. For this, we recommend running in batch mode. b) Using the usual data display transactions. Their execution is as fast as if the data were online. In this case, we need indexes that allow direct access to the archived data, avoiding the slow sequential reading. This is what the Archive Information System offers us, through the activation of infostructures that result in the creation of tables whose name begins with the prefix “ZARIX”.
These tables store the indexes that relate the key of the archived data to its location (archive file and eventually location within the archive file). The more data we archive, the larger the “ZARIX” tables occupy in the database. Which translates to: the price we pay for quick access to archived data is the space occupied by the indexes (“ZARIX” tables). And the price concept is not a metaphor. Just think of the cost per GB of database (on premise or in the cloud), especially when it comes to HANA database.
We often find that in SAP systems with a long time of data archiving practice, the “ZARIX” tables are the largest in the database. The challenge is to offer a solution that still allows fast access to the data, without paying the penalty of the space occupied by the indexes.
To solve this, there are different solutions ranging from the SAP ILM product to SAP partner tools. In all cases, it is necessary to have an alternative database that plays the role of “index server”. Depending on the technology chosen, complementary functionalities are offered. It is a matter of analyzing costs and return on investment.
If this is your case, we can help you find the best solution from both a technical and cost perspective.