--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, "robert_p_levy"
<r.p.levy@g...> wrote:

>
> Hello. I have a database which is shadowed on a nearby

filesystem.

> If I run gbak to create a backup and then call on gbak again to
> restore from that backup-- overwriting the database, does the
> shadowing remain intact and keep up with the change? I am

gbaking

> and restoring primarily to free excess pages and reduce the size

of

> the file. This really does make a huge difference.
>
> On another unrelated but similar topic, I was wondering how to

deny

> connections to the database or alternately the firebird server at
> large while performing system maintainence. What I currently do

in

> my system maintenence script is shut the server down and bring it
> back up before running gbak, but there is a risk that someone will
> log on in the window of time while gbak is still running. I

believe

> this may cause corruption. Is shutting down [X]INETID (and

bringing

> it back up after the gbak) the answer or would this interfere with
> gbak running?
>
> Thanks in advance! (And apologies if this question has been

answered

> elsewhere. Yahoo Groups' message search is really bad, bordering

on

> absurd, which is ironic since Yahoo is a search engine... hm maybe
> whomever is moderator might consider putting it up for vote

whether

> or not to move the list over to Google's new mailing list service

or

> to Topica?),
> Rob

Why you shutdown the server to backup the database. Consider
for example that you have many databases. Stopping the server
stops servicing all databases and not only the one you want
to backup.
You can shutdown only the database you want to backup. This
way you can restrict limit only to SYSDBA and to the creator
of the database (safe enough).
You can backup or restore the database and restart it again.

Also in firebird 2.0 there is a new database shutdown mode
which "really" shuts the database and deny access to anyone.
I suppose then you can just OS copy the database file (not sure
of that, if anyone Knows please tell me)