Configuration (SAP Library - Data Retention Tool (DART) (CA-GTF-DRT))

Configuration

Purpose

The Data Retention Tool (DART) allows users to extract data from an R/3 database. The resulting extracted data is stored in one or more physical files.

To allow users to extract and retain data with DART you must specify which data can be extracted with DART, and also specify the physical arrangement of extracted data files.

You can select other optional configurations for specifying other parameters of the extract files.

Required DART Configuration Tasks

To allow users to extract and retain data with DART you must:

Specify which data can be extracted with DART

Define at least one directory set to be used for storing the extract data files

Define a file path syntax for every platform on which you use DART

As an aid to defining the physical parameters of the data extract files, for example, deciding how many data volumes you should create, you can use the File Size Worksheet utility.

Optional DART Configuration

In addition, you may also:

Specify various global settings for data extracts, such as the maximum file size, or whether the extract is compressed, or whether it includes checksum calculations

Change the attributes of an existing data segment
Note that adding new segments to DART is done through customer enhancements.

Add definitions of views on data extracts, or change the definition of SAP-provided views

Increase or decrease the maximum memory allocation on the application server for building data segment indexes

Change package size. By default the extraction utility selects data from the database in packages of 100 records at a time. You can increase or decrease this number. In some cases a smaller value should be chosen in order to reduce memory consumption.

Choose the ArchiveLink configuration to configure the specified Archive, Link table and Retention period

Use the links from the above lists to go to the topic describing the details of the configuration.

Adding Data Sources for an Extraction with Customer Enhancements

If you wish to allow the user to extract data that is not defined in the SAP-provided segments, you may need to either add fields into the existing segments, or to add new segments.

Adding a non-numeric field to an SAP-provided segment (if that field is from a source table that is already used in the segment) involves only a configuration of the segment.

However, all other additions of data sources to DART involve writing and activating customer enhancements.

See the discussion of customer enhancements for the details of this process.