On January 22, 2003 04:59 am, you wrote:

> Firebird 1.0 using IBO and TIBBackupService,TIBRestoreService and
> TIBValidateService
>
> I am shipping an application which goes out into the wild.
> Though i strongly recommend that the customers install the server on NT or
> 2K machines there are some who do install it on a Windows 98 machine. I am
> not modifying the setting for Forced Write.
>
> Database gets corrupted occasionally. Almost all the cases the customer
> does confirm that the machine did crash just before the corruption Always
> on Win 98. Almost all cases it is a checksum error on blob files.

Win98 is not a server platform, and Forced Writes doesn't always help,
especially if it crashes during the write. The best solution as a software
provider, is a big notice in 24pt bold italic font, in the manual that states
you are not responsible for such corruptions, if Win9x (95/98/ME) is used.

> If I do a validate and backup and restore ignoring errors the rest of the
> database comes up.
>
> But after that I am just not able to do a backup without ignore errors flag
> set.
>
> So my application ships with backup with ignore errors flag set. This is
> making me very uncomfortable.

That is what I call a really bad idea, if the only reason this is a problem
is Win9x, then you could end up with serious trouble if you mask errors
generated for another reason that should be reported.

> I try to make my applications zero administration as far as possible.
> So my program has an automatic backup setting. Default once a day
> It also has what I call an automatic housekeeping setting. Default once in
> 30 days. Here I prevent clients from connecting do a full backup and
> restore
>
> This is a very low cost app and I am willing to put in any kind of effort
> when it comes to development but I really want to make support at customer
> location ZERO.

Best way to do this, is to use a black-box server, basically that is a
machine that operates without a monitor or keyboard, it runs Linux or Unix,
all of the maintainence is done via cron scripts that run automatically.
The machine would be supplied to the customer as a server, and includes a
UPS, and a backup device. If the customer doesn't like buying the black-box,
then your bank (or the customers) should be willing to arrange some sort of
leasing deal.

Another option is to write the software so that it uses the internet and
locate the database server at your location, then use some form of
subscription service, that includes the database, and software maintenance.
Then you (as part of the subscription) maintain the server.