A system for archiving composite files including metadata and payload data in a file system. In at least one embodiment, the system includes a database for storing, in particular exclusively, a first group of metadata of the archived composite files, corresponding to search criteria usable in a query; at least one information layer in the file system for storing a second group of metadata of the archived composite files in storage files, the second group in particular including the metadata of the first group and/or all metadata; and the archived composite files stored in the file system.