Policy for length of time to save SMAT

[Jim]

We are trying to decide on the length of time we should save SMAT files or db’s currently we cut over our SMATdB’s on a nightly basis and currently save approximately 1 year.

Does anybody have a policy in place for the number of days you save your SMAT files or dB’s and what is the number of days?

Jim

Topic

[Jim Kosloskey]

I think at MDACC we archived SMAT files for 3 years.

MDACC is a research hospital so from time to time we were required to locates messages from quite a while back.

At another hospital messages were archived for a year (but we still received requests to look for messages older than that from time to time).

I would guess part of Murphy’s law probably indicates no matter how long you archive, someone will want something older.

So I would evaluate what makes sense to you then make sure that policy is clearly articulated (and in writing) to all of your customers.

email: jim.kosloskey@jim-kosloskey.com 29+ years Cloverleaf, 59 years IT - old fart.

[Jim]

Thank Jim

We found that when we converted from SMAT file’s to SMAT dB’s our disk space use was substantially increased.

Jim

[Rob Lindsey]

Interesting Jim B.  When we switched from SMAT files to SMATDB, our disk usage went down.  When on SMAT files we rolled every night, now that we are on SMATDB, we roll weekly.  We keep 4 weeks on hand to search data information.

The thing that was eating up the space on our system with the SMAT files was the INDEX stuff for the Global Monitor.  We also went from almost 100% IOwait to less than 5% IOwait.

Rob

[Robert Kersemakers]

We cycle save our file-based SMATs daily or weekly. Most SMATs are removed after 60 days, only incoming DFT SMATs are kept for 2 years.

Zuyderland Medisch Centrum; Heerlen/Sittard; The Netherlands

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