1. A method of retrieving a datum from a searchable archive by a data processing system, the searchable archive comprising a metadata file and one or more compacted files, comprising: selecting a selected compacted file from the one or more compacted files that may include the datum using the metadata file; accessing the selected compacted file; selecting a selected compressed segment from one or more compressed segments in the selected compacted file using metadata stored in the compacted file; generating a decompressed segment from the selected compressed segment; and searching the decompressed segment to determine if the decompressed segment includes the datum.