In This Chapter

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In This Chapter

The Optical Subsystem is a functionality of Informix database servers that supports the storage of TEXT and BYTE data on an optical platter.

The Optical Subsystem includes an interface for an optical-storage subsystem and supports a set of SQL statements that are exclusively for use with optical platters. These SQL statements support the efficient storage and retrieval of data to and from the optical-storage subsystem.

For more information on TEXT and BYTE data types, refer to the IBM Informix: Guide to SQL Reference.

Important:

The Optical Subsystem does not store CLOB and BLOB data types. The optical-storage subsystem uses a file interface to support smart large objects. For more information on how to store CLOB and BLOB data types on optical disc, refer to the IBM Informix: ESQL/C Programmer's Manual.

This chapter describes the purpose and implementation of the Optical Subsystem. The following topics are covered:

The advantages that optical media offers
The components of an optical-storage subsystem
The ways in which you can organize data on optical platters
The sequential and clustered methods of storing text and byte data on optical platters
The operation of the Optical Subsystem application-programming interface (API), which supports the optical-storage subsystem