Structured data archival with reduced downtime

A method for structured data archival with reduced downtime comprising:

• managing an active table (AT), and a non-active table (NAT), wherein client access to the AT is enabled, and wherein the AT includes data to be archived, and wherein the client access to the NAT is not enabled, and wherein the NAT includes a copy of the data to be archived;
• creating an intermediate table (IT) to record, during data archival, changes to the data to be archived;
• creating triggers on the AT and the NAT to facilitate the record, by the IT, of the changes to the data to be archived;
• initiating the data archival by archiving the copy of the data to be archived from the NAT;
• merging the recorded data from the IT to the NAT upon receiving an indication that the client access to the NAT is not enabled;
• switching the client access from the AT to the NAT by changing a table synonym, wherein the client access to the NAT is enabled upon completion of the data archival;
• and
• providing a second indication that the client access to the NAT is enabled.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for structured data archival with reduced downtime, comprising executable instructions to:

• manage an active table (AT), and a non-active table (NAT), wherein client access to the AT is enabled, and wherein the AT includes data to be archived, and wherein the client access to the NAT is not enabled, and wherein the NAT includes a copy of the data to be archived;
• create an intermediate table (IT) to record, during data archival, changes to the data to be archived;
• create triggers on the AT and the NAT to facilitate the record, by the IT, of the changes to the data to be archived;
• initiate the data archival by archiving the copy of the data to be archived from the NAT;
• enable the triggers on the AT based on information associated with the AT, wherein the information is retrieved from a metadata table;
• merge the recorded data from the IT to the NAT upon receiving an indication that the client access to the AT is not enabled;
• and
• switch the client access from the AT to the NAT by changing a table synonym, wherein the client access to the NAT is enabled upon completion of the data archival.