MFG/PRO Archive delete old data

[azizan]

How to reduce size of MFG/PRO databases(Progress)? I already run archive/delete transaction history and others archive/delete, but still the database size still the same.

 

[allanm]

hi azizan,

You may have to do a dump/load of the database to actually reduce the size of the db

 

[azizan]

How to do that? Coz "program not available in MFG/PRO V8........." How can I do that outside MFG/PRO?

 

[jongpau]

Best guess (not knowing your application) is that you would have to do that through the Progress Data Administration tools. You will need some in-depth experience and/or knowledge of Progress and its tools to do this. If you do not have this experience (yourself or available within your organisation) you are best of contacting the supplier of your application or hiring an experienced contractor to do this for you.

 

[azizan]

Ok I already found 'DUMP/LOAD in batch' but after I run this my databases size still same, any mistake I doing wrong there?

 

[jongpau]

Ok I already found 'DUMP/LOAD in batch' but after I run this my databases size still same, any mistake I doing wrong there?

Theoretically you should do the following:
1. Dump data-definitions of your database (no users should be using your database)
2. Create a new empty database with the same file structure as the old one
3. Load data definitions into the empty database
4. Dump data from your old database (no users should be using your database)
5. Load data back into the new database
6. Truncate the bi of your new database

That *should* make your new database smaller than the old one. That is, unless you have not deleted sufficient data in the old one. In that case the database might just grow to the same size and have some empty space.

7. Change the startup of your application so it uses the new database
8. Depending on your Progress version you *may* have to recompile your application against the new database (when you get crc errors)

Now, when you just delete data from a database the database does not reduce it's file size. However (someone kick me if I am wrong here), Progress does re-use the space that has become available by the delete and should not start to grow your database until the free space is used up.

All in all the above can be quite an excercise to do. Questions to ask are:
1. How large is your database now and how much data have you deleted? So wat do you expect to gain by all this?
2. What is the reason for you wanting to reduce the file size? Are you running out of disc space (if so it will be very hard to do the dump & load as well because that uses up more space still). Maybe it is better to just add another disc or to replace the disc by a larger one?
3. Especially if you are not running out of space, is it worth the time and trouble?

 

[azizan]

FYI i'm using MFG/PRO v8.6D with progress version 8.3A. Currently I have 2 databases with 1.21GB and 1.32GB. By the way we don't have problem with server hardisk size, but we just informed by QAD personnal that recommended database size around 1GB and maximum up to 2 GB, is this correct? I really need to know this information correct or not? If you have link that mention about progress database size, I would glad to read it.

Thank for information.

 

[jongpau]

Try looking at http://techweb.progress.com. Probably there is no documentation for your version available anymore though. I think the documentation starts on version 9.x now. Your version of Progress is "kind of old". Alternatively you can see if you have the Progress Electronic Documentation discs for your version laying around somewhere? If so, do install that, it contains quite a bit of useful information.

If you really want to be sure about the optimal and/or maximum file sizes (which probably depends on your os) maybe someone can tell you this on here - I would not be sure myself - OR you can always try contacting Progress tech support in your country (you may have to have a support agreement with Progress before they answer though).

 

[jongpau]

Hi,

I had another look around. There is an entry in the Progress knowledge base about the maximum file size:

Goal(s):
Progress and the 2 Gig limit

Fix:
Up to Progress 9.1B, there is no way to overcome the 2Gig limit for each Progress database extent.

Starting with 9.1C, you may change this by running the command
proutil <db_name> -C EnableLargeFiles
for your database if you have an Enterprise DB license and your file system allows files over 2Gig.

So it looks like you are indeed stuck to a maximum of 2GB for each database. However, if you can split your database up into multiple extents you should be right, each extent can be up to 2GB so that will give you the option to grow your database way over the 2GB limit.

 

[oldpro]

database size

The 2GB limit applies to each extent of the database not the the size of the whole database You can have the database upto 100GB made up of say 50 extents of 2GB each.
If your database is only 1 or 2gb in size then the only reason to dump and reload would be to do an index rebuild but I dont think you would need to do that just yet either.

 

[rbaggetta]

We looked at doing archives from QAD programs, but since these archives can grow very large if your not careful and crash your BI and/or AI. So we used a program called Archiver for MFG/Pro by a compay called BizzKeys. This was an excellent choice. We have our archived databases (x3) on a seperate Windows XP server, while our production database is still in AIX-character client using eB SP7. I'd recommend using a 3rd party app. to do archiving properly.