SAP R/3 : Data Archiving / ArchiveLink® - Part 1

Just this week, I was requested to do a research on using Data Archive and ArchiveLink®. A project was being carried out on this two topic alone. A certain client from US wanted to archive their SAP system’s data.

Both of these feature is the fundamental archiving components in SAP. Data archive allows the writing and storing of collected data from master data into an archive object ready for archiving into a storage medium. On the latter, ArchiveLink® allows the storing of an archive object stored into an external optical storage medium. Not only it acts as a storage device but it enables scanning and storing, retrieval and digitizing of documentation.

These two basic components, as of from 4.6c above, that is the SAP version, these two grouped together as one function in SARA. SARA or SAP Archive Administration includes the above feature from writing, deletion to retrieval. This include management of data tables for archive, information system on archiving process, schedule and job logs related to archiving. Apart from that, SARA include another archive component known as SARI, SAP Archive Information System.

SARI allows a much greater and flexible retrieval of archived objects for later use. In SARI, one of the components are archive explorer which works like any windows explorer displaying archived objects. These archived objects can be visually display out.

In summary, archiving comprises:

1. Basic archiving tool:
- Data Archiving
- ArchiveLink®
2. Support tools that encapsulate above basic tool:
- SARA (SAP Archiving Administration)
- SARI (SAP Archive Information System)

Is sky the limit… SARA wears SARI!...