mysql archive is a storage engine for the mysql relational database management system. users can use this analytic storage engine to create a table that is “archive” only. data cannot be deleted from this table, only added. the archive engine uses a compression strategy based on the zlib library and it packs the rows using a bit header to represent nulls and removes all whitespace for character type fields. when completed, the row is inserted into the compression buffer and flushed to disk by an explicit flush table, a read, or the closing of the table.