Executive summary
Continued database growth, long-term data retention regula- tions and storage requirements are increasing operational costs. As a result, more CIOs are examining the potential ben- efits of implementing cost-effective strategies for managing data and information throughout its life cycle. Because most of the historical data stored in high-performance application databases is inactive, more companies are realizing the value of database archiving as an essential component in an effective data management strategy.
Allowing application data growth to continue can degrade performance, limit availability, increase costs and slow disaster recovery. Yet, archiving complex relational data poses many challenges. Organizations need the capability to archive historical data and safely remove it from the production environment. They also need capabilities to store archives cost-effectively, retain access and dispose of data appropriately to comply with data retention regulations. In short, organiza- tions need an effective archiving strategy for managing application data throughout its life cycle.
In searching for the ideal archiving solution, some organiza- tions consider in-house development, but soon realize that the short- and long-term costs do not offset the expected return on investment. Implementing an off-the-shelf archiving solution does offer advantages in faster acquisition and imple- mentation. However, the ideal solution must provide the archiving capabilities needed to support current and future data management requirements across often heterogeneous application environments.
This white paper explains how the IBM
®
InfoSphere™
Optim™ Data Growth Solution provides comprehensive technology and capabilities that make archiving complex rela- tional data both practical and desirable. Archives can be easily managed and stored on the most cost-effective media, and his- torical data remains accessible until retention periods expire.
Maintaining only current active data in production environ- ments helps improve service levels, increase availability and improve disaster recovery initiatives. Archiving also helps organizations to reclaim valuable capacity and lower costs.
The InfoSphere Optim Data Growth Solution addresses a critical operational need for enterprises that rely on large complex relational databases.
Database growth: Impact and opportunity
Industry analysts and leading computing publications report that the rapid accumulation of data worldwide continues at an unprecedented rate. Forrester Research, Inc. estimates that on average, data repositories for large applications grow by
50 percent annually.
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Enterprise databases are doubling and even tripling in size and exceeding projected estimates, result- ing in serious consequences.
Accumulating more data means degraded performance and slower response time. Availability is limited because routine database maintenance requires more processing time, often taking systems out of service. Managing larger databases also