Access to Storage Spaces

The database server allows a user to define a method for accessing either of the following types of storage spaces:

• A smart large object, which resides in an sbspace

  The database server can log, back up, and recover smart large objects.

• An external table, which resides in an extspace

  An extspace refers to a storage location that the IBM Informix database server does not manage. For example, an extspace might refer to a path and filename that the operating system manages or another database that a different database manager controls.

  The database server does not provide transaction, backup, or recovery services for data that resides in an extspace.

For more information about how to choose the storage spaces that the user-defined access method will support, refer to Managing Storage Spaces.