Markus,

>I'll offer my opinion and duck out of this one. If a user/hacker
>can gain access to (ie. connect to) a database and manipulate data
>(ie. circumvent SQL security), your problems are larger than the
>benefits that a journaling/logging feature for recovery from such
>violations would provide.

Just trying to keep us on the same page here...

I'm not talking about the SQL security getting circumvented. I'm talking
about changes in the database that are even within the bounds of the SQL
privilages for the username Mr. Disgruntled is using. I totally agree that
you have major problems if a disgruntled person with database access goes
nuts and trashes your database with bogus updates, deletes, etc.

It would just be really nice if there were tools and features available to a
DBA that would allow them to have greater control over the data and ease the
impact and recovery of the problems that can be created. Replication
provides no solution to these problems.

But, this is just a fringe benefit of the results of the features I am
promoting. What I am really after is the ability to have a HUGE database and
the possibility to have daily backups that don't require the whole database
to be backed up. Essentially I am looking to have InterBase implement the
features and tools necessary to support all flavors of a true backup system.
Multi-stage restore, etc.

Oh ya, another really cool benefit is that you could distribute a single
database (like the read-only stuff on a CD ROM) and have the ability to make
different views of the database possible. That way if someone had an
application that involved three levels of information you could put in all
the basic information, do a freeze point, put in the intermediate
information and do a freeze point and then the advanced and put in a freeze
point. Then, the application would be able to choose from the three
levels...

If I'm not mistaken, PostGre?SQL fully exploits its versioning architecture
in ways that allow for stuff like this, or at least similarly...

PS. Markus, if you really want this thread to die just agree that these are
good ideas. <g> No need to defend their absense since I'm not leaving
InterBase for another database...

Jason Wharton
InterBase Developer Initiative
jwharton@...

InterBase will be the database of the new millennium.