Is it okay to remove archive files (.txt and .idx files)

[Mitch_Denis_38]

We recently had a question come in: Is it okay to remove the database archive .txt and .idx files?  Can it harm the Automation Engine performance.

The answer is yes, it's okay to remove these as long as you don't need them in the future; or in the case of this customer, they had a backup of them.  These files are used solely for the archive browser and are a flat-file conversion of the messages, reports, statistics, etc...  that are archived with the DB.Archive utility.  

The answer to the second question is, no - it can't harm your Automation Engine performance.  Since these are flat files, they are in no way associated with the database that the Automation Engine talks to, so barring issues with the OS being slow in deleting files, it should be perfectly fine to delete them with affecting your system.


Here's some further information on the structure of the folders and files that we're talking about here: https://docs.automic.com/documentation/webhelp/english/AWA/12.0/DOCU/12.0/AWA%20Guides/help.htm#AE_AWA_Source/Administration/ucabkv.htm

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Is there anyone who has experience with deleting these files?  How often do you do this?  Have you ever had any negative effects?

[Pete Wirfs]

We have been purge our older archive folders for some time now with no ill effects. 

I have also experimented with cleaning up the contents of UC_UTILITY_DB_UNLOAD in client 0000, which is a record of those folders.  The contents of this variable are echoed onto the report every time we run the REORG, and this report is getting longer every time it runs.

When I deleted the older rows in this table, it then caused the next REORG attempt to fail.  So I restored it and moved on.  But I was wondering if anyone else has successfully cleaned up UC_UTILITY_DB_UNLOAD?  I don't remember if I tried re-indexing the Key column or not when I tested this... it was too long ago.

[Pete Wirfs]

Another option for me to consider;  Apparently you can turn off the maintenance of this variable by setting suppress_output=1 in the related ini file;

https://docs.automic.com/documentation/WEBHELP/English/AWA/11.2/AE/11.2/All%20Guides/help.htm#ucachn.htm

[Anon Anon]

Just as further Information, if someone did not know:

Running Utility DB Archive is NOT mandatory!
Its only necessary if you need to keep statistical records from historical runs - which have been cleared from AE DB by the reorg process.

Just do not run DB archive and set no_archive_check=1 to the ini files of REORG and UNLOAD utility.

https://docs.automic.com/documentation/WEBHELP/English/AWA/11.2/AE/11.2/All%20Guides/help.htm#ucabjn.htm

https://docs.automic.com/documentation/WEBHELP/English/AWA/11.2/AE/11.2/All%20Guides/help.htm#ucabjq.htm%3FTocPath%3DAdministration%2520Guide%7CConfiguration%7CStructure%2520of%2520the%2520Configuration%2520Files%7CUtilities%7C_____8

[Legacy User]

Those files are only needed if you want to view them with the Archive Browser. (ucybarbr). This is by the way one of the few Automic components that has its source code included in the whole image and can be modified by our customers.