Read-Only Hardware

Write-once read-many (WORM) disk arrays provide read-only hardware functionality that allows normal read-write use of the disks until data is frozen.  Disks can be frozen for an indefinite or fixed-retention period at the volume or file level. Frozen data cannot be modified, and the retention period can be extended, but never decreased.

Read-only hardware functionality is not limited to WORM disk array hardware; you can also remove write privilege from a raw device or file system file after the dbspace is altered to read-only. To create and update an archive on read-only hardware:

1. Creating an Archive
   Assume that the database consists of a single catalog store dbspace named db.db with three main dbspaces: A, B and C.
2. Create New Dbspaces
   After creating the archive, create new dbspaces .
3. Examine Archived Data
   Examine the archived database as of time t0.
4. Update the Working Archive
   If a long time (for example, months or even years) have passed since time t0, you may upgrade the db.db0.working as long as ALTER DATABASE UPGRADE modifies no objects in the IQ main store.
5. Create More Archives
   Create a new archive at time t1.