Document archiving tool

Example

Users or server administrators can copy documents in a database that meet specified criteria to an archive database and then delete the documents from the database, or reduce the sizes of the documents. When documents that meet the specified criteria are deleted from the database, replica stubs remain so that deletions can replicate if there are replicas of the database.

Users or administrators can archive documents based on days since the documents were last read, last modified, last accessed and/or marked as expired. From the Notes® client, you enable archiving and specify settings that control what happens when a database is archived.

To enable database archiving

  1. Select a database and choose Edit - Properties or right-click the database name and choose Application - Properties.
  2. In the Settings section of the Basics tab of the Database Properties box, select "Archive Settings."
  3. View or edit archive settings on the Basics, Settings, Advanced or Schedule tabs of the Archive Settings dialog box.

Archive Settings

The tool creates an archive database with the title of the source database followed by the word "Archive" in parentheses -- for example, "Sales (Archive)." By default, the archive database is stored on a client or server within the data folder in a folder called \archive. The file name for the archive database is a_xxxxx.nsf where xxxxx represents the first five characters in the source database file name -- for example, a_sales.nsf. You can customize the location and file name of the archive database.

The tool can also report information about the archiving process to an archive log database with the title Archive Log. By default, the Archiving Log is stored on a client or server within the data folder in a folder called \archive. The file name for the archive database is l_xxxxx.nsf where xxxxx represents the first five characters in the source database file name -- for example, l_sales.nsf. You can customize the location and file name of the archive log. Multiple databases can share one Archive Log.

You can archive documents on the client or on a server.

When you archive documents on the client, you use an archive database and archive log on the client, and you run the archiving tool from the client. When you archive documents on a server, you can create the archive database on a server or on the client. In addition, if the source database is located on a server, you can set up server-based archiving to use the Compact task on that server to archive the database rather than manually archiving from the client. When you set up archiving, the tool signs the archive settings with your signature; the Compact task uses the signature to verify that you have the necessary database access to archive and then archive on your behalf. Server-based and client-based archiving also allows you to:

  • Delete documents without archiving them (the default is to archive them)
  • Archive without creating an archiving log (the default)
  • Delete documents even if associated response documents haven't been deleted (default is not to delete)