Deleting data from a very large log table (custom table in our namespace)

Question

Hello,
I have been tasked with clearing a log table in our landscape to only include the most recent entries.  Is it possible to do this given that the table has already got 230 000 000 entries and will need to keep around 600 000 recent entries?
Should I do this via ABAP and if so, how?  Thanks,
Samir

Answer 1

Hi,
so you are going to keep 0,3 % of your data?
If you should do it in ABAP or on the database is your decission.
In my opinion doing things on the database directly should be done
exceptional cases only e.g. for one time actions or actions that have to
be done very rarely and with different parameters / options. Regular
and similar tasks should be done in ABAP i think.
In any case i would not delete the majority of the records but copy
the records to keep in an empty table with the same structure, delete the
table as a whole (check clients!) and "copy" the new table back in ABAP
or rename the new table to the old table after droping the old table on the database.
If you have only one client you can copy the data you need in a new
table and truncate the old table (fast deletion for all clients). If you have
data to keep  for other clients as well check how much data it is per client
in comparison to the total number of lines (if only a small fraction, pefer copying
them too).
On the database you can use CTAS (create table as select) and drop table and
rename table. Those commands shoudl be very efficient but work client independently.
If you have to consider clients SELECT; INSERT; DELETE or TRUNCATE (depends on if you have
copied all data considering clients) are
your friends.
Kind regards,
Hermann