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Storage Optimization

The Storage Optimization page at /finops/storage-optimization recommends and applies optimisation actions on Delta tables to reduce storage cost and speed up reads.

Optimisation actions​

ActionWhat it doesWhen to apply
OPTIMIZECompact small files into larger onesMany small files (e.g. high-frequency append)
OPTIMIZE ZORDER BYCluster data by hot columnsFilter-heavy reads on specific columns
VACUUMRemove time-travel files past retentionTime-travel > 50% of total size
Tier to coolMove cold data to cheaper storage classLast accessed > 90 days
Tier to archiveMove very-cold data to archive classLast accessed > 365 days
Drop unused partitionDelete partitions with zero recent readsOld partitions in date-partitioned table
Reduce time-travel retentionLower delta.deletedFileRetentionDurationLong retention not used by consumers

What you see​

Each candidate appears with:

  • Table FQN
  • Recommended action
  • Estimated saving (GB and $/month)
  • Confidence (high / medium / low)
  • Risk note — e.g. "VACUUM is irreversible; ensure no consumer relies on time-travel beyond 7 days"

Sort by estimated saving descending.

Apply​

  • One-click — for safe actions like OPTIMIZE and VACUUM within retention
  • Plan — preview the change, confirm, then apply
  • Schedule — defer to a low-traffic window via Scheduling

Bulk-apply across multiple tables via the Apply selected button.

Tracking​

The Applied tab shows realised savings post-action, broken down by:

  • Storage GB freed
  • $/month saved
  • Time-to-apply
  • Any errors encountered

Safety​

  • VACUUM runs with RETAIN N HOURS — never below the configured retention
  • Tiering changes write a manifest of moved files and can be reversed
  • All actions write to Audit Trail

API​

GET /finops/storage-optimization/candidates
POST /finops/storage-optimization/apply
{
  "table_fqn": "...",
  "action": "OPTIMIZE",
  "params": { "zorder": ["customer_id"] }
}
GET /finops/storage-optimization/applied