Spotfire library introduction

The Spotfire library content (analyses and analysis data) can be stored in the Spotfire database or in the cloud using different external storage solutions. The library is accessible to users of Spotfire Analyst and the web client through the Spotfire Server, allowing users to easily share and reuse their work.

The library stores Spotfire analyses, Spotfire binary data format files (SBDF), data functions, shared data connections (or connection data sources) created with Spotfire connectors, information links and data sources used by Information Services, and visualization color schemes.

By default, items created by analysts or business authors that are imported into the Spotfire library are compressed using the gzip format. Items exported from the library are also compressed using gzip. This design provides more efficient use of library space, whether the library is stored in the Spotfire database or in an external storage system. Library compression works with all supported databases. Items that are currently stored in the Spotfire library in an uncompressed format are compressed in the background over time. You can still export items that have not yet been compressed; however, reimporting such items result in their being compressed.

You can change the library compression defaults to meet your specific library needs, including disabling it altogether. If you disable library compression, then compressed items in the library are uncompressed in the background over time.

Additionally, the command-line command export-library-content has the optional parameter compressed-content, with the default of true, which specifies whether library content should be compressed when exported. Set this option to false to import content to an earlier release of Spotfire, where compressed content is not supported.

The library is organized into hierarchical folders, which are also used to control access to folder content. The administrator creates the folder structure, and assigns groups with the appropriate read and write permissions to the folders.

Important: If the database runs out of disk space, then the complete Spotfire environment becomes unresponsive. You must ensure that the database has enough space (either through external storage, or through file storage) for the lazy migration to increase and reduce as it uncompresses and compresses the content in the background.

To handle "lazy migration" (background) compression and uncompression of existing contents, Spotfire Server must use temporary storage space, which is created at <server installation directory>/tomcat/temp. To provide the best conversion and not stress the server resources, ensure that this temporary space is at least twice the size of the largest artifact in the library. (For example, you can follow this formula: largest item in the library * the number of cores in the host * 2).

For more information about configurable compression properties, see Library compression configuration properties and Changing the default configuration for library compression.
For more general information about using the library, see Searching the library and other topics under Opening the Spotfire Server administration pages.