Archieve setting for Sales Documents

[former_member287204]

Dear Experts,

My question is related to the following forums -

http://scn.sap.com/thread/301774

http://scn.sap.com/thread/301776

http://scn.sap.com/thread/1961452

In SARA, for archieving docs. such as object "SD_VBAK", under "Customizing - Archiving Object-Specific Customizing - Technical Settings", found that our previous colleague set "A2" for the "Content Repository" of section "Place file in Storage System" as below -

When archieving the sales docs., these docs. could be arvhieved but the relevant storage job was canceled as below -

Date       Time     Message text                                                                                                                     Message class Message no. Message type

17.09.2015 18:19:32   Job started                                                                                                                        00           516          S

17.09.2015 18:19:32   Step 001 started (program RSARCH_STORE_FILE, variant , user ID HITD1234)         00           550          S

17.09.2015 18:19:32   Archive file 000035-001SD_VBAK is being processed                                                   BA           165          S

17.09.2015 18:19:32   Content repository A2 does not exist                                                                             CMS          002          S

17.09.2015 18:19:32   Archive file 000035-001SD_VBAK cannot be stored                                                       BA           149          E

17.09.2015 18:19:32   Job cancelled after system exception ERROR_MESSAGE                                             00           564          A

From the above link, it should be due to miss setup in OAC0 and also found that there is no relevant "A2" Content Repository in our OAC0,  just found similar setting for the Cont.Rep.ID "A2" in OAC3, e.g.

Object Type & Doc. Type = ARCHIVE

L = X

Cont.Rep.ID = A2

Link = TOA01

Now, my question is to ask whether it is necessary to set the "A2" (or other value) under the "Customizing - Archiving Object-Specific Customizing - Technical Settings" of SARA archieving object (e.g. SD_VBAK) ? or just leave it blank ? If required to set the "A2" (or other value), should we have to complete all settings in the OAC0 & OAC3 ?

For your ref., in our another development client, we had ever tested to remove the "A2" & leave it blank, and changed to another logical file name "ARCHIVE_DATA_FILE2" (instead of the "ARCHIVE_DATA_FILE") under the "Customizing - Archiving Object-Specific Customizing - Technical Settings" and then archieving the sales docs. could also be completed and the sales docs. could also be retrieved in "Information System - Archive Explorer". Just could not find the "StorageSyst' button in the initial screen of SARA for Object "SD_VBAK" as below -

Many Thanks

KH Fong

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Any expert can help to answer my above questions ?

Also found one more related problem as below -

As mentioned above, in SARA for archieving docs. such as objects "SD_VBAK" (Sales doc.), under "Customizing - Archiving Object-Specific Customizing - Technical Settings", "A2" was set for the "Content Repository" of section "Place file in Storage System" as above. However, the field "Content Repository" was BLANK in table "ARCH_USR" for this object (& some other objects) as below. Could you also advise ?

Many Thanks

KH Fong

[benedikt_wagner_mdt · Accepted solution]

Hi Kwok Ho,

to you questions:

• if you leave the storage system blank, then the files are not archived and are located in the logical path on the server file system. Therefore there is no button "Storage Syst" because there is no repository to store files in. That is not recommended on an productive system but it may be the standard setting in SARA customizing.
• I believe "A2" is standard setting from SAP. You have either to create an A2 repository on your archiving server and change the settings in OAC0 or  you take any other existing repository that exists on your archive server and is customized in OAC0.
• The ARCHIVE/ARCHIVE setting in OAC3 is used by file name exit FILENAME_EXIT_ARCHIVELINK (used in some standard logical file names). I recommend to use an own logical file name, e. g. with physical file  "<SYSID>_<CLIENT>_<PARAM_3>_<DATE>_<TIME>.ADK". <PARAM_3> is resolved to the name of the actual archiving object.

Regards,

Benedikt

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear Benedikt,

Thanks for your advice.

Could you also advise why the data of the field "Content Repository (CREP)" is inconsistent for some objects between the "SARA - Customizing - Archiving Object-Specific Customizing - Technical Settings" and the table "ARCH_USR" ? Compare the above screens for details.

OSS had also advised that "the repository "A2" is not required to setup & can leave it empty if archieved files are not stored in external content server (repository)". Would like to ask -

Do you know what is meant by the "external content server (repository)" ?

If we have setup the "Storage Syst.", is it possible to store the previously archieved files (but could not complete the storage job) ?

Could you also advise / provide info. on how to setup the "Storage Syst." in OAC0 & OAC3 & elsewhere (if any) ?

Many Thanks,

KH Fong

[benedikt_wagner_mdt · Accepted solution]

Hi Kwok Ho,

in my system the content repository is stored in ARCH_USR. This is a client independent table. So changes in the customizing in any client should be stored in ARCH_USR and be visible and valid in all clients. I cannot imagine that this should have been changed by SAP.

As I said, if you leave content repository empty but then the files will remain on the server file system. Also the "store" job is not executed because there is nothing to store in.

An external content server is a separate external system like Opentext Archive Server, EASY Archive, Documentum or SAP Content Server. They are built to store a lot of files and guarantee the unchanged long term storage of files.

A Content Repository is a logical unit on an external content server and is defined in OAC0. The Content Repository has to be created also on the Content Server itself. So you will get help from the provider of your content server or in some threads of SCN.

Regards,

Benedikt

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

Do you have a value in the field ARCH_LDOCU for your SD_VBAK object in table ARCH_USR?

If the the CREP field  in ARCH_USR is empty, then SAP is looking for content repositiories via the document type field

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear all,

Thanks for your advice again.

The value in the field "ARCH_LDOCU" is "ARCHIVE" (as below) for some objects which "Content Repository (CREP)" is empty in this table but "A2" in SARA. Could you advise ?

Also, how to check whether the content repository is in doc. type field ?

Could you also advise whether it is possible to store the previously archieved files (but could not complete the storage job) AFTER we have setup the content repository for "Storage Syst." ?

Many Thanks,

KH Fong

[former_member222508 · Accepted solution]

Hi Kwok,

Try to set up a content repository and configure the same in both OAC0 & OAC3. then execute the storage job.

You will not able to see the option "store" unless Content repository is maintained in "SARA".

Store jobs can be executed any point of time after CR is configured no matter how old is archive file. (Condition - Archive files should exists in the file directory.)

Also, please try to follow the best practices in configuring the archive object. Try to keep the archive file size as "100MB" across all the objects & No of Objects = "ZERO".

Thanks,

Bala.

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear Bala,

Thanks for your advice.

If we have setup the CR in OAC0 & OAC3, will those ".ARCHIVE" files be deleted automatically in the file system AFTER executing the storage job ?

Also, in "SARA - Customizing View for Archiving - Archive File Size" section, do you mean the best practice for each archieving object is "Max. Size in MB = 100" & "Max. No. of Data Objects = 0" ? Why is it suggested, especially for the "Max. No. of Data Objects = 0" ?

Tks,

KH Fong

[former_member222508 · Accepted solution]

Hi Fong,

Once store job is completed, files will be moved from directory to the storage location. no files would be visible in the file directory.

For your second question, ADK will create file immediately when one of the criteria is fulfilled, i.e. either size or max no of data objects. if you keep max objects as zero, another archive file will get created only after max size is reached.

Thanks,

BKRG

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear BKRG,

Thanks for your advice again.

Could you also advise whether it will affect on retrieving archieved data through "Archiving Reports (setup in SARI)" AFTER those ".ARCHIVE" files have been stored in configured repository (e.g. "A2") and removed from the file system ?

If both the "Max. Size in MB = 100" & "Max. No. of Data Objects = 10" are inputted, does it mean that another archive file will get generated if "Max. Size in MB already = 100 but Max. No. of Data Objects still < 10" OR "Max. Size in MB still < 100 but Max. No. of Data Objects already = 10" ?

From my understanding, the "No. of Data Objects" means "No. of Records". Is it correct ?

Tks,

KH Fong

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

Check in OAC3 which content repository is assigned to ARCHIVE document type, this should be the one that you see in SARA in case the CREP is empty in ARCH_USR

Number of objects is not necessarily number of records.

An object is a business case, let us keep the example of the sales document, so number or data objects would equal to the number of archived VBAK records, but there can be sales orders with just one item and sales order with several hundred items, not to mention that there are records for partners, records for long texts and many more.

It is tough to impossible to know how much byte one object will need.

if you would only go my number of objects then you could end with very small archives or very big archives. Especially with big objects you can get in trouble while storing because of disconnections. You can also get in trouble with available memory while creating indices.

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Tks Jurgen,

In OAC3, content repository "A2" is assigned to "ARCHIVE" doc. type.

If one of data objects cannot be completed to archieve because of reaching max. file size in one file, will it be continuously archieved for the rest of part or re-archieved from the beginning in the newly generated file ?

Dear BKRG / Jurgen,

Could you also advise whether it will affect on retrieving archieved data through "Archiving Reports (setup in SARI)" AFTER those ".ARCHIVE" files have been stored in configured repository (e.g. "A2") and removed from the file system ?

Tks,

KH Fong

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

The archive file will be closed when the last record is written into it, no matter how much records or file size you have specified.

SARI does not necessarily access the archive file itself. you create an index on the archive and this index is nothing else than a table in your SAP system, which holds the most important fields of the archived object ,e.g. the key fields and a link to the record in the archive.

SAP has already given some data structures for this index, it is on you if you use it or build an own index. The more fields you add to the index the bigger will be this table and the less positive effect to the overall space usage has the archiving itself. Without index you have no quick access as the entire archive file needs to be read sequentially to retrieve the selected data. You have to evaluate the pros and cons to find the right solution.

In our system analysis are usually made from a BI system, only a few users have access to the archived data, we usually hold 2 years online, older data gets archived. The demand to access archived data is so low that we do not have indices for most of the archiving objects. And in those exceptions when people have to check old documents they accept a longer runtime to see the records.

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear Jurgen,

My above two questions should be as below -

If the last record cannot be completed to archieve in one file because of reaching max. file size, in another newly generated file, will it be continuously archieved for the rest of part or re-archieved from the beginning of the record ?

I can know the operating process of SARI, but don't know whether it will affect on retrieving archieved data in this transaction AFTER those ".ARCHIVE" files have been stored in configured repository (e.g. "A2") and removed from the file system. Could you advise ?

Tks,

KH Fong

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

One record will not be split. It will go as a whole into the archive. Don't ask me if this will go in to first file or the second, this is peanuts and not really worth a thought as you have no way to influence it. .

In general is accessing a record in the file system quicker than making the jump into another connected system, however, the file system is not safe in regard to unchangability of records in an archive.

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear Jurgen,

Whether "the archieved record will be split or not" should affect on the no. / index of Infostructures combined in an archieving report under SARI. That's why I asked so detailed on this.

I understood your answer to my 2nd Question, just don't know why you said "......however, the file system is not safe in regard to unchangability of records in an archive." ?

Tks,

KH Fong

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

it is a legal requirement that archived data must not be changed, hence it should be stored on Read-only mediums, a file system is not a read-only medium and data might be able to be manipulated.

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear Jurgen / Experts,

Thanks for your advice before. I recently found one more related question. Could you also advise ?

After archieving a list of object (e.g. Sales Orders), an archieved file has been generated and saved under the specified path like the following screen, e.g.

/usr/sap/R3Q/SYS/global/RSD10300.183312.HITD1997.ARCHIVE

According to the following screen, found that the above path cannot be changed under the "Management" section. In case we are not using the content rep. to store archieved files and only keep the archieved files in the file system, does it mean that those archieved files can only be kept in this path under the file system ? If we manually move those archieved files to another path under the file system (due to not enough space in the original path), is it possible and will there be any impact on SAP processing, especially retrieving data in archieving report under SARI ?

Tks,

KH Fong

[former_member222508 · Accepted solution]

Hi Kwok,

Yes. You need to keep them under the same file path. You would find difficulties in acessing archive files if these are moved to other location.

Recommend to store files ASAP to CR from file system as there would be issue with file space as you mentioned. Basis guys may or may not understand the importance of these files and if they move to other folder for space issue, you would have real problem in accessing the same.

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear Bala,

Thanks for your answer. Does it mean that the archieving path for file system can only be changed & must be specified BEFORE executing the archieving, and the path cannot be changed AFTER executing the archieving ?

For setting the archieving path for the file system, is it in the following section ? Any other section(s) is also required to setup ? Is the setting applied for all "Archieving Objects (Modules)" ?

"SARA - Customizing - Basis Customizing - Cross-Client File Names/Paths"

For the path stored in the content rep., is it possible to change this path AFTER archieving and storing the archieved file(s) ? and where can setup the path in the content rep., under OAC0 or elsewhere ?

Many Thanks,

KH Fong

[former_member287204 · Accepted solution]

Dear Bala / Jurgen / Experts,

Anyone could help to advise my above question(s) ?

Many Thanks,

KH Fong

[JL23 · Accepted solution]

Whats so difficult with "think first, then execute" ?

Archiving is nothing that is made by passing by. You have to have a project, project teams, decisions have to be taken about what is to be archived and where it is to be stored, how it can be accessed etc etc.  Such project teams are built to have experts from the business who are knowledgeable about what can be archived, what is not needed anymore for daily work, IT experts who know the dependencies between then archiving object, even lawyers or external auditors who can help you to know the legal impacts, and certainly people from your Basis team who will give you input where to store the data. And all this (and many more) has to happen before you even do a first execution in a productive system.

Computer systems are not much different, create a file in your PC and save it in a personal folder A. Create a link to this file on your desktop.  Now move this file from your folder A to folder B. And finally execute the link on your desktop.

Result: the link goes nowhere and you can't open your file. While windows gives you still an option to execute a search, the same is not available in SAP.

the place in your file system is an interim place, of course there should be enough space and it should be restricted with authorization settings, but frankly spoken it does not really matter since you are only done after your stored the files in content repository. And this final step is actually moving the file from the file system to the Content Repository, hence the interim storage in the file system is empty after the file is moved.

If at some day you decide to move the files somewhere else, then you usually bring them back from the CR into the file system and store it then into a new CR, this would be the normal way.

If you decided that the file system is the end, then you should make up your mind first and define the right destination directly.

However we are in IT business, and I would never say that it is not possible at all to move a file into a different path. It might not be the SAP design, and it is not possible for endusers, but there are options for IT people to change table entries to have SAP look into the right path.

But this is then on your very own risk and you have to do a thorough test.