Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for archiving an active record in a database. An auxiliary table is created in the database. The auxiliary table can store metadata information about active records to be archived and deleted from the database. An active record to be deleted from the database is selected. Metadata information is stored in the auxiliary table for the selected active record. The selected active record is archived into a data storage device. The selected active record is deleted from the database, based on the update information in the auxiliary table, without comparing column data for the archived record in the data storage device and the active record in the database prior to deletion of the active record from the database.