Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Getting Started:
Database Essentials

Disk storage

The following sections describe how to determine if you have adequate disk storage:

Understanding data storage
Determining data storage requirements
Determining current storage using operating system commands

Understanding data storage

The following is a list of critical data stored on your system. Used in this context, the term “data” is a more inclusive term than one that defines simple application data. Data can include:

Databases.
Before-image files.
After-image files.
Application files (Progress 4GL or SQL code, third-party applications).
Temporary files.
Client files.

Data also references other possible data storage requirements, which include:

Backup copies of your databases.
Input or output files.
Development copies of your databases.
Test copies of your databases.

Other critical elements stored on your disk include:

Operating system.
Swap or paging files.
Your OpenEdge installation.

If this information is already stored on your system, you know or can determine the amount of data you are storing.

If you are putting together a new system, planning for these data storage elements can be a daunting task. You will need to have a deep understanding of the application and its potential hardware requirements. One of the first things you must know is how much data you will be storing in each table of your database, and which tables will grow and which are static. See the database storage calculations discussed in the "Calculating database storage requirements" section.

Determining data storage requirements

In existing database environments, the first step in determining data storage requirements is to to take an inventory of your storage needs. The types of storage are:

Performance oriented — Database or portions of databases, before-image (BI), after-image (AI).
Archival — Historical data, backups.
Sequential or random — Data entry and report generation, or spot queries.

You perform a detailed analysis of your current needs and projected growth to estimate storage requirements. The following sections describe this analysis process.

Determining current storage using operating system commands

To determine the current storage used, use one of the following options depending on your operating system:

Use df to determine the amount of free space available on most UNIX systems. There are switches (-k to give the result in kilobytes and –s to give summary information) that will make the information easier to read.
Use bdf on HPUX to report the same information as described in the previous bullet.
Use the disk properties option in Windows to provide a graphical display of disk storage information.