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ICAM Blob Segregation - Cloud Service Configuration Guide

This guide describes how to configure Maintenix blob segregation in an IFS Cloud Service (AKS) deployment where segregated attachments are stored in Azure Blob Storage. For remote deployment configuration, refer to ICAM File Storage for Remote. To migrate blobs that were segregated to a local filesystem before upgrading to Cloud Service, refer to the Cloud File Storage Migration Tool (FS Mig Tool).

Overview

Maintenix stores attachments (inventory files, task attachments, warranty documents, and similar) as BLOBs in the Oracle database. Blob segregation reduces database size by:

  1. Moving recent BLOBs into monthly staging tables (COR_BLOB_JAN … COR_BLOB_DEC) according to a retention window.
  2. Moving older BLOBs to external storage once they exceed the retention period.
  3. Recording the external location in COR_BLOB_INFO.BLOB_LOC and setting COR_BLOB_INFO.SEGREGATED_BOOL = 1.

In IFS Cloud Service (AKS), segregated BLOBs are stored only in Azure Blob Storage via the in-cluster IFS File Storage Service (FSS) (ifs-file-storage), bucket mxblob. Set configuration parameter BLOB_STORAGE_TYPE to AZURE.

Maintenix calls FSS over the cluster network to upload, download, update, and delete segregated attachments. No separate FSS URL or storage account name is configured in Maintenix - the platform wiring handles that. FSS connects to Azure using the storage account credentials in the ifs-storage-conn-string secret.

Note: BLOB_STORAGE_TYPE = LOCAL and filesystem paths (BLOB_PRIMARY_LOC, BLOB_SECONDARY_LOC) apply to remote (on-premises K8s) deployments only. They are not used in Cloud Service (AKS).

Prerequisites

Before enabling Azure segregation, confirm the following with your platform / Cloud Service team:

RequirementNotes
FSS deployedPod ifs-file-storage running in the same namespace as Maintenix (ifsmaintenix-appserver)
Azure storage provisioned for FSSStorage account configured for FSS (platform responsibility). FSS reads the cluster's storage account connection string from the Kubernetes secret ifs-storage-conn-string.
Maintenix releaseIncludes BLOB_STORAGE_TYPE and BLOB_SKIP_FILE_SCAN config parameters (26R2EA+)

Configuration Parameters

All parameters below are LOGIC type, category Data Volume Management - BLOB segregation, stored in UTL_CONFIG_PARM.

ParameterDefaultValid valuesPurpose
BLOB_RETENTION_PERIOD0Integer 0–10 (months)Minimum age before a BLOB is eligible for external segregation. 0 disables segregation entirely.
BLOB_STORAGE_TYPELOCALAZUREMust be AZURE in Cloud Service (AKS).
BLOB_SEGREGATE_CHUNK_SIZE0Integer ≥ 0Max rows processed per job run. 0 = no limit (Integer.MAX_VALUE). Use a smaller value for gradual initial migration.
BLOB_SKIP_FILE_SCANFALSETRUE, FALSEWhen TRUE, Maintenix sends X-IFS-Skip-File-Scan: skip on FSS download requests. Effective only when the IFS system parameter Allow to skip individual file scan is ALLOWED (see File scan skipping).

Step-by-Step Configuration

1. Set configuration parameters

Update parameters in IFS Cloud → Aviation Maintenance → Solution Configuration → Solution Setup → Configuration Parameters.

2. Enable the segregation job

The job MX_COMMON_BLOB_SEGREGATE ships disabled by default.

AttributeDefault
Job codeMX_COMMON_BLOB_SEGREGATE
Repeat interval604800 seconds (7 days)
Start delay120 seconds after server startup

To enable, navigate to IFS Cloud, Aviation Maintenance > Solution Configuration > Administration > Aviation Background Jobs page and edit the job.

Use Run Jobs for an immediate first execution.

First run behaviour: If rows still exist in COR_BLOB_DATA, the job performs initial segregation - copying in-retention BLOBs to monthly tables and moving out-of-retention BLOBs to Azure. Subsequent runs process monthly tables only.

3. Enable the monthly table cleaning job (optional)

Job MX_COMMON_BLOB_TABLE_CLEANING (MX_COMMON_BLOB_TABLE_CLEANING) truncates monthly tables once all rows in a table are segregated. It also ships disabled (repeat interval 28 days). Enable in IFS Cloud's Aviation Background Jobs page when you want automated cleanup of fully segregated monthly tables.

Operational Notes

File scan skipping

When FSS loads a file record, it reads file metadata from the IFS database that reflects the system parameter Allow to skip individual file scan (category File Scan Settings).

Configure Allow to skip individual file scan in IFS Cloud → Solution Manager → Setup → System Parameters.

ValueMeaning
NOT_ALLOWEDDefault. Downloads must wait for a successful scan (or other bypass conditions).
ALLOWEDCallers may bypass scan gating on download if they also send the skip header.

Maintenix parameter BLOB_SKIP_FILE_SCAN = TRUE causes segregated-blob downloads to send X-IFS-Skip-File-Scan: skip to FSS. That header is honoured only when Allow to skip individual file scan is set to ALLOWED. Both must be in place for skip-on-download to take effect.

Set BLOB_SKIP_FILE_SCAN = TRUE in Aviation Maintenance → Solution Configuration → Solution Setup → Configuration Parameters only when your tenant policy permits skipping file scans on download.

Support Checklist (Quick Reference)

  1. Confirm FSS pod healthy, Azure storage provisioned, and secret ifs-storage-conn-string present in the cluster.
  2. Set BLOB_RETENTION_PERIOD (> 0), BLOB_STORAGE_TYPE = AZURE, optional chunk size.
  3. Activate MX_COMMON_BLOB_SEGREGATE; run once manually for validation.
  4. Verify UI attachment download before and after segregation.
  5. Verify COR_BLOB_INFO and Azure blob presence; verify delete removes Azure blob.
  6. Optionally activate MX_COMMON_BLOB_TABLE_CLEANING.