Database Administrators (DBAs) can remove data storage areas while the database is running or stopped.

Use PROSTRCT REMOVEONLINE to remove storage areas without a production outage. For example, you may need to move data to a different storage area on another device and remove the old storage area. For operations in the cloud, customers can benefit from reducing their space needs without waiting for a scheduled maintenance window. For large database deployments, end users experience higher availability. The database remains online serving data while storage areas or their extents are removed from the database. All users and processes connected to the database may remain connected while the extents are removed.
Note: If the database is started with dbnotifytime 0 and usernotifytime 0, then idle language clients may not respond and would probably need to be disconnected.

Most users run PROSTRCT with group permissions. However, in rare situations, a DBA must wait for users to disconnect if the user cancels PROSTRCT REMOVEONLINE, but lacks privileges to reopen the files. In that case, the DBA must stop the database to let users close the files that they cannot reopen.

The PROSTRCT REMOVEONLINE utility can connect to a database running in multi-user mode and remove extents from data storage areas, provided that no objects exist in the area. (If objects exist, to remove them, use PROUTIL commands, such as PROUTIL TABLEMOVE and PROUTIL INDEXMOVE.)

After removing all of the extents from the storage area, the utility removes the storage area from the database and returns its allocated file space to the operating system. This operation is the final step in the process described in Return data storage space to the operating system.

You can remove an area, an extent, or all extents from an area on a source or hot standby database while the database is running. (For more information, see Remove data storage from replicated databases.)

You can also use PROSTRCT REMOVEONLINE on encryption and Change Data Capture (CDC) data areas, as long as encryption and CDC are disabled and all objects are moved to another location.

For more information, see PROSTRCT REMOVEONLINE qualifier and OpenEdge Structure Remove Online utility.

To remove extents for the after-image, before-image, or transaction log areas, however, you must stop the database and use PROSTRCT REMOVE. For more information, see PROSTRCT REMOVE qualifier and OpenEdge Structure Remove utility.