The Dos and Don’ts of Data Archiving

Over the years, companies have likely built up vast amounts of unused or unnecessary data. This is not only cumbersome but can cause serious problems down the line. Storing unnecessary data can inflate the total cost of ownership of an SAP system, as well as bog down the memory and performance of the new SAP HANA database.

Fortunately, there is a solution – data archiving. Yet many companies are unprepared to archive the wide swaths of data gumming up their systems. Though SAPinsider’s recent SAP Data Management Strategies 2024 benchmark research report found that two-thirds (66%) of companies believe that data archiving policy and procedures are either important or very important, just 21% are creating a data archiving strategy to provide better analytical performance and reduce costs.

Data Archiving Best Practices

To help SAP organizations understand how they should best proceed on their data archiving projects, the SAP partners at TJC Group have laid out a list of best practices companies should follow when archiving data.

• Understand your drivers – Not all data archiving projects are the same. Those that aim to reduce the size of an SAP system may differ from those that want to improve performance. Understanding how these differ and which tactics suit each project is an important first step.
• Assess your data volume and types – Organizations should understand not just their total data volume, but how it is used and how quickly it is growing. Additionally, they should see which types of data they are generating, as these may need to be archived differently and stored for different periods. Data should be categorized based on these factors, which can make archiving more straightforward.
• Implement an archiving strategy – Archiving projects should have clear objectives, prerequisites, and roles laid out before starting. Companies should identify the data that will be archived and ensure the project will not adversely affect other projects or applications. Once this is done, they can establish archiving timelines for the project. When determining timelines, they should ensure that they are in step with any applicable legal regulations.
• Define procedures – Ensuring that all team members understand the proper procedures for data extraction, data transfer, and data storage will help the project run smoothly.
• Comply with retention policies – Companies must also ensure that they adhere to all data retention regulations and keep track to see if any changes in data regulations emerge during the project.

What This Means for SAPinsiders

Maximize the Value of SAP S/4HANA – With 2025 just around the corner, SAP organizations want to find the best options to maximize the value of their to move to SAP S/4HANA and implement advanced capabilities like AI and automation. When undertaking these important projects, companies should pay close attention to their technological bedrock – data.

Keep Everyone on the Same Page – Successful data archiving projects will have a well-defined roadmap, established procedures, delineated roles, and a cohesive strategy. When all of these aspects are determined ahead of time, all members of the team know what to do and what to expect.

Follow the Rules – Companies should not only have their own goals in mind for their data archiving projects. Working with SAP partners like TJC Group can ensure that companies are aware of their obligations and keep them on track to meet their objectives.