Well, there is a reason for a compare run after all. I am not sure what you expect to have happen. If the data is in a memory buffer unique to a process, how do you expect a separate process to back up the data? There is a reason that backups are recommended to be performed on quiescent disks and files. Note that in the in a non-exclusive write access situation, there should be some sort of record locking to ensure that multiple processes do not cause corruption, and that type of locking is something well written backup applications understand.
I do not understand your contention that some backup strategies do not include a compare run. Rotating media, etc. can certainly do a compare run at the time the backup is made. Nothing about the schedule or media handling prevents a compare run. If you choose to backup an active server, then you need to understand the issues involved. It is certainly possible to backup a large database undergoing continuous modification, but it does require some thought and care (and the right backup software and strategy). If you don't know what the issues are, then you should not be the person planning the backups. In the case we were discussing, backing up an Entourage database, you will know if you have an issue as I described. -- Eric Hildum > From: Thomas Schierle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: "Entourage:mac Talk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 23:34:57 +0200 > To: Entourage Talk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: Do backup/sync programs fail on Entourage DB (?) > > On 2002-07-11 20:33 +0200, Eric Hildum wrote: > >> The only time that I could see being an issue is if the file is open for >> non-exclusive writing, and not all the data has been flushed to disk. That >> could cause serious problems with overall data integrity. But then, a >> Retrospect verify pass should fail, and you would know you have a potential >> problem. > > Yuck, some backup strategies (for example, rotating media, > five or seven backup sets a week) don't necessarily include a > compare run, and a compare isn't that useful when a server > running and being accessed 24/7 must be backed up. > > Therefore I hope the scenario you describe is just a theory ... > -- To unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.letterrip.com/> old-archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.boingo.com/>
