1. Database Structure › 1.2 Database Structure and Organization › 1.2.2 Archive Data Structure

1.2.2 Archive Data Structure

The archive data structure is a logical extension of the
online structure and serves to maximize an installation's
capability to economically retain data in the Database
format, for long, if not indefinite, periods of time.

The archive data is maintained to address two primary
requirements.

    1 - Retain data on specific "units of work," such as
        batch job and program executions, TSO command and
        program executions, etc., over long periods of time.

        The requirement is to be able to reconstruct the
        audit trail of which jobs, programs, commands, etc.,
        a user used and when, (and, if necessary, in what
        order), spanning longer periods of time than would
        normally be expected to be available in an online
        database.

    2 - Retain the weekly and monthly data summarized to
        quantify an installation's long-term performance and
        growth trends for the TSO, Hardware Utilization, MVS
        SCP, and Batch Information Areas, for extremely long,
        if not indefinite, periods of time.

        The requirement is to provide a less expensive, but
        usable, storage for data that must be maintained for
        larger periods than the user would choose to retain
        online.

NOTE:  In this discussion and in the sections that follow,
the files and Timespans listed for archival storage reflect
the structure shipped with the CA MICS system. The CA MICS
Database Tailoring Facility may be used to alter this
structure at your site.

The audit requirement is a specific need and generally
applies only to files that record "transaction" activity.
For example, it applies to DETAIL Files identifying job,
program, and command execution.  The audit requirement does
not apply to the majority of Files maintained in the Database
and is localized to a few Files.

The historical requirement, unlike the audit requirement,
does not address the retention of detail data, and instead
is directed at providing an economical and usable form of
storage for all Files maintained in the WEEKS and MONTHS
Timespans.

The archive data structure provides the user with
workable alternatives to maintaining vast amounts of data
online.  The segmentation of archive data into audit and
long-term history is based on the two different requirements
that the archive structure must satisfy.

The archive data structure should not be considered as a
backup to the online data.  The archive data is an extension
of the data maintained online and together the two structures
provide the total CA MICS Database.

This multi-level storage and retrieval facility enables
the installation to configure its Database in relation to
its usage, storage, and retention requirements.

The following sections explain the relationship of the
archive data to the online data, as well as its use and
operation.

   1   - Archive Audit Data
   2   - Archive History Data