SAP Basis Tech Supports

Symptom

This note is in response to frequently asked questions on the Archive Information System (AS). The following questions are discussed:
1. What is the function of the AS?2. For which releases is the AS available?3. Where can I find documentation on the AS?4. How can I access the data of the AS from a program?

Other terms

SAP AS, Archive Information System, archiving, ADK
transaction SARI

Solution

1. What is the function of the AS?

The AS is a generic tool for running drilldown reportings in data archives that is fully integrated into the SAP data archiving environment. Data searches are conducted on the basis of an archive information structure, a type of index that can be defined by the user and filled with data from the archive.
The AS has two areas of application:
The integrated search tool Archive Explorer allows the user to find archived data using the fields of the information structures. The data found can be displayed in a technical view (similar to transaction SE16).Furthermore, functions of different applications use the AS as a basis for locating archived data. This is also possible for customer-specific functions.

2. For which releases is the AS available?

The AS is contained in the standard system from SAP R/3 4.5B. For Releases 3.1I and 4.0B you can install the AS subsequently, see SAP note 99388.

3. Where can I find documentation on the AS?
In releases SAP R/3 3.1I to 4.5B the button “Documentation” (a blue icon with an “i”) appears in the transaction SARI. You will also find the same documentation as an attachment to SAP note 99388 in the file “Docu.zip”.From SAP R/3 4.6B and as of SAP Web Application Server (SAP Web AS) 6.10 you will find the documentation in transaction SARI under “Help” -> “Application help”. You will find the same documentation in the SAP Library under the following paths:SAP R/3 4.6B: “Cross-application components” -> “CA – archiving of application data”. Then select any suboption, such as “FI – Financial Accounting”. From there select “Implementation in the data archiving” -> “Archive Information System (SAP AS)”SAP R/3 4.6C: “Cross-application components” -> “Archiving of application data (CA-ARC)” -> “Implementation in the data archiving (CA-ARC)” -> “Archive Information System (SAP AS)”SAP R/3 Enterprise 4.70: “SAP R/3 Enterprise application components” -> “Scenarios in the applications” -> “Data archiving (CA-ARC)” -> “Implementation in the data archiving” -> “Archive Information System”SAP Web AS 6.10: “mySAP Technology components” -> “Cross-application functions” -> “Data archiving (CA-ARC)” -> “Implementation in the data archiving (CA-ARC)” -> “Archive Information System”SAP Web AS 6.20: “mySAP Technology components” -> “Cross-application functions” -> “Data archiving (CA-ARC)” -> “Implementation in the data archiving (CA-ARC)” -> “Archive Information System”SAP Web AS 6.30 and higher: “SAP NetWeaver components” -> “Cross-application functions” -> “Data archiving (CA-ARC)” -> “Implementation in the data archiving (CA-ARC)” -> “Archive Information System”You will also find information on the Archive Information System in the book “Data archiving with SAP”, Galileo Press, 2002 (ISBN 3-89842-212-7). In particular sections 4.5 and 4.6 deal with the Archive Information System. The book is also available in English (ISBN 1-59229-008-6) and Japanese (ISBN 4-8222-5130-6).

4. How can I access the data of the AS from a program?

Function module AS_API_READ was provided for self-programmed accesses to the data stored in the archive information structures. The function module is released with SAP Web AS 7.00, but it can also already be used beforehand. You will find further information on this function module in the document “AS_API_READ – Programmed accesses to the Archive Information System”. You will find the document in the SAP Service Marketplace (http://service.sap.com) under the quick link “data archiving”, then under “Media library” -> “Literature & Brochures”. The document is currently being translated and will also be available soon in English.
As of SAP Web AS 7.00 you will also find the most important information in the documentation on the function module AS_API_READ and its parameters directly in the system.
As of SAP Web AS 6.40, you will find examples for accesses to the Archive Information System in the programs SBOOKRI_DB_AR_SINGLE and SBOOKRI_DB_AR_MULTIPLE.