RE: Keeping old records on system in application files -- MIDRANGE-L

That depends on why you're moving it off and not simply deleting it. 

If you don't need it, delete it (note I said delete, not archive). 

If you _only_ need it for reporting/data warehousing info, _move_ it
into a datawarehouse and only use it there. 

However, if you're thinking about copying data off onto tape and then
maybe in the future copying it back into production so you can look at
it, just leave it on your system. Disk is cheap! If you want to get it
out of your production systems, fine, but you need to have another
system capable of accessing it. I've seen numerous cases where data was
"archived" to tape to be brought back later. That results in one of
three problems:

1) You can't upgrade/change the file layouts of production because
you'll not be able to restore your archive data.

2) You can change your layouts but you have to restore/modify/resave the
archive data so it's still compatible with your system.

3) When you need the data you have to hope you can move it from the old
format it's in to the current format. Sometimes that easy, other times
you need additional information to convert the old layout to the new
layout, and sometime that additional information is no longer available.


In short, disk is cheap, why move it off?

-Walden


------------
Walden H Leverich III
President & CEO
Tech Software
(516) 627-3800 x11
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.TechSoftInc.com 

Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)
 
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mike Berman
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 9:51 PM
To: Midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Keeping old records on system in application files

I noticed that the Order Header file has records from 1995. Is there
really a need to keep this in  your apps and not move this to a
repository? Is this something that can be easier kept on say an idle 270
or on an Windows server? I am thinking in terms of a solution like
Cognos. Does the AS/400 have a solution that would be compatible with
Cognos? I am concerned that Cognos seems to be the industry standard, am
not sure to what extent decisions are made on 'what others might think'.


                
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