Data Clusters 

In the following section a type of data storage is introduced that can only be used by ABAP programs. The content of any number of data objects of any complexity can be stored in different storage media using the ABAP specific format known as data clusters. Only ABAP programs can use this format and therefore only ABAP programs can import data stored in this fashion back into data objects.

The following illustration shows the schematic structure of a data cluster in the storage medium.

A data cluster is made up of different administration information, which varies depending on the storage medium, and a data area, which contains the compressed data objects.

The following storage media exist:

·        Byte String

·        Internal Table

·        ABAP Memory

·        Database Tables

·        Cross Transaction Application Buffer

See Statements for Data Clusters to find out how to write data objects to different storage media, how to read them again later, how to delete storage media and how to create a directory of a data cluster.