Historical Database Archiving: Migrate Your Technology Without Losing Your Data
With AvenDATA, your data stays secure — and stays usable.
Switching to SAP HANA makes decommissioning your existing SAP system inevitable. Whether it is S/4HANA, ECC 6.0, or an industry-specific solution like IS-U or Bank Analyzer, we archive your legacy system in a high-performance, audit-compliant manner — without SAP ILM, yet with full data availability.
The Challenge with Historical Databases
Many companies face the task of decommissioning outdated database systems such as MS SQL, MySQL or Oracle — whether because of a system change, a cloud migration or the replacement of an entire platform. Simply switching these systems off is rarely an option: legal requirements demand the long-term retention and continuous accessibility of business-critical data.
Typical Challenges in Managing Legacy Databases:
- High operating costs: outdated systems generate ongoing expenditure on licences, infrastructure and maintenance
- Outdated technology: ageing servers and software versions create security risks and incompatibilities
- Resource demands: IT teams must continue to provide maintenance, monitoring and support
- Lack of integration: legacy systems are often no longer compatible with modern applications
- Legal requirements: data must remain verifiable and available for review many years later
The AvenDATA solution: our web-based archiving platform lets you decommission your legacy systems securely — without data loss and without compliance risk. Archived data stays audit-compliant high-performing, and fully searchable, so your historical records remain completely accessible without running the original database system.
Proven Archiving Solution
with More Than 17 Years of Project Experience
The archiving of historical IT systems and databases has been continuously developed by AvenDATA over many years and refined through practical experience in thousands of projects. Our structured approach has proven itself under a wide variety of requirements, from preparation for audits to legally compliant responses to legal enquiries.
At the core is our software solution ViewBox, a powerful research platform for archived data from decommissioned databases such as MS SQL, MySQL or Oracle. It enables fast and audit-compliant access, both for auditors and for internal departments.
More than 50% of DAX companies rely on our solution — clear evidence of its stability, flexibility and practical value.
It is trusted worldwide, with ViewBox in productive use from Europe to North America and Asia.
Your Historical Database Tables Securely Archived and Transparently Accessible
In ViewBox
Even after your database has been decommissioned — MS SQL, MySQL or Oracle, for example — your data remains fully preserved. We transfer the relevant table structures together with their contents, archive them in an audit-compliant way and, if required, apply a digital signature for verification.
Our services at a glance:
- Archiving of all relevant tables with their original structures and contents
- Audit-compliant storage with optional digital signature
- Optional creation of reports and analyses based on the archived data
Before the project begins, we define with you which tables should be transferred and whether evaluations are required — for audits, analyses or internal traceability, for example.
In ViewBox, these tables remain available for years, ready for targeted research, analysis or documentation. Individual reports can be generated from them at any time.
Whether for audits, internal enquiries or legal requirements, ViewBox keeps your historical data structured, traceable and securely accessible — independently of the original database system.
Fast Project Execution and Strong Economic Benefits (Measurable ROI)
Even for Complex Legacy Systems
Decommissioning a historical database usually takes only one to two months, depending on data structure, interfaces and volume. Our standardised, proven approach lets us archive even very large datasets efficiently, securely and in a fully traceable way.
We have already completed archiving projects covering more than 30 terabytes, including structured table migration, digital signatures and optional report generation.
Thanks to our established project methodology, clients see significant savings within a short time — in licence costs for databases, operating systems and third-party software, and in maintenance, infrastructure and internal resources.
In the majority of our projects, the return on investment (ROI) is achieved in well under one year, made possible by the complete decommissioning of outdated systems and permanently reducing the load on your IT landscape.
Database
System Analysis
The first step in any database archiving project is a detailed analysis of your existing system. This forms the basis for a reliable assessment of project duration, scope and costs as part of the decommissioning of your historical database.
We review both technical and content-related aspects, including:
- Access options for the database
- Structure, size and number of tables
- Relevance and intended use of the data held
- Special requirements such as views, triggers, procedures or interfaces
The results are set out in a binding fixed-price proposal with a defined project duration and clearly specified services, giving you maximum planning and decision-making certainty before the project begins.
Database
Project Archiving
Once the system analysis is complete, the project itself begins — structured, efficient and with clearly defined milestones.
In a joint kick-off meeting, we clarify all organisational and technical requirements with your team. From that point on, we handle the majority of the work, including:
- Setting up database access
- Exporting and transferring the relevant tables
- Optional creation of individual reports based on the archived data
- Complete documentation of every step to ensure audit compliance
Our experienced project managers guide you through the entire process and ensure smooth execution with minimal demand on your resources.
At the end of the project, we carry out structured testing and acceptance phases to confirm that all data has been archived completely, accurately and traceably.
Database
Archiving Results
Once the project is complete, all relevant tables and contents from your historical database are transferred into ViewBox, our proprietary software solution.
ViewBox is a web-based research platform that lets you and other authorised stakeholders access archived information quickly, securely and in an audit-compliant way — even years after the system has been decommissioned.
A key added benefit: on request, individual reports can be generated from the archived data, allowing commercial, tax or legal evaluations without touching the original database system.
Once ViewBox has been successfully implemented and accepted, the original database can be decommissioned in full.
At the end of the project, you receive comprehensive project and procedural documentation that transparently records every step, particularly:
- The method used for data migration
- The structure and volume of the archived content
- The testing and acceptance phases carried out
We also document every stage of the archiving process in a verifiable form in our Jira ticketing system — from the initial data export through to final acceptance and, where applicable, later deletion of the source system. The entire process therefore remains fully traceable and auditable at any time, including for external parties.
Software and Research Platform ViewBox —
Making archived data intelligently usable
With ViewBox, AvenDATA provides a powerful reading and research platform designed specifically for accessing data from decommissioned databases such as MS SQL, MySQL and Oracle.
Through an intuitive web interface, ViewBox enables fast searching, structured analysis and targeted provision of archived information — entirely independently of the original database system.
ViewBox ensures that your data:
- Remains understandable and usable years after decommissioning
- Is always accessible in an audit-compliant manner
- Is structured and readily available for internal and external audit processes
A key feature: automated data deletion.
ViewBox can delete historical data automatically. Based on defined retention periods, records are removed in a rule-based, traceable way once legal or internal requirements have expired.
ViewBox can delete historical data automatically. Based on defined retention periods, records are removed in a rule-based, traceable way once legal or internal requirements have expired.
The software and the underlying cloud infrastructure are certified to multiple standards and undergo regular, comprehensive security and functionality testing.
Ready for the
Next Step?
In a one-hour expert session, we review your historical database together — an ageing MS SQL, MySQL or Oracle system due for decommissioning, for example. We show you live how to retire that database efficiently while keeping the information it holds usable for the long term.
In this session you will receive:
- A precise alignment on data structure, table migration and the access concept
- A live demonstration of our ViewBox archiving solution
- An explanation of how structured queries and reports can be generated when needed
- A reliable estimate of effort, timeline and cost for the archiving project
Transparency from the start.
Our project proposals are based on clearly defined fixed prices, with no renegotiations. Quality, reliability and fair value for money are at the centre of everything we do.
Book your free expert session now.
Quick Answers to Your Questions
Personal and without obligation, on historical database archiving
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