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AI Data Engine

Investigate unstructured data in AI Data Engine

Contributors netapp-dbagwell
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When file-based storage is growing unexpectedly, filter by last-access time, file size, and owner to find which files are consuming capacity. For example, a storage administrator can identify terabytes of VM snapshots that haven't been accessed in over a year and evaluate whether to archive, delete, or retain them.

Before you begin

Find cold or stale files by last-access time

Use date-based filters to identify files that haven't been accessed within your organization's cold or stale data thresholds. Thresholds are configurable in Configuration > Settings. Refer to Configure cold and stale data thresholds.

Steps

  1. From the AI Data Engine UI, select Investigation.

    The Unstructured tab is selected by default.

  2. Select Add filter, then select Last accessed.

  3. Select a time range that matches your cold data threshold, for example 1+ year.

  4. To focus on the largest consumers, select Add filter again, then select File size, and set a minimum value, for example >1 GiB.

    Applied filters appear as tags below the filter bar. The results table and item count update as you add each filter.

For a complete list of available filters, refer to Work with filters.

Group results by owner

Grouping by owner helps you understand who holds the most potentially reclaimable data before deciding where to act.

Steps

  1. With filters applied, select the View by dropdown.

  2. Select Owner.

    The results reorganize to show total file count and size per owner. Select any owner row to expand and see their individual files.

Review file details

Select any file row to open the detail panel and confirm the file matches your intended scope before taking action.

The detail panel shows the file's system, storage repository, file owner, and any applied tags or policies. Verify the system and owner before archiving or deleting.

Act on results or save as a policy

After identifying the files you want to address, select one or more items using the checkboxes in the results table.

To download the filtered results from the Unstructured tab, select Download.