| Subject | RE: [firebird-support] End user repair utility - assuming the worst-case. |
|---|---|
| Author | Dunbar, Norman (Capgemini) |
| Post date | 2011-01-17T08:21:42Z |
Morning,
I note from a previous post that your users use Access in the previous application. Assuming multiple users and no need for a single shared database (and I may be wrong) then fixing an Access database would have been quite simple.
However, if the Access database was shared, then all sorts of problems usually results - it seems Access can't cope with two or more users. (Ok, slightly unfair, but only slightly!).
Are each of your users using a "personal" Firebird database or are they all connecting to a centralised one?
In the latter case, do you really want any user starting up the recovery utility and trashing the database for everyone else?
Equally, it's best to know exactly what the problem is before you attempt to recover the database - you don't want, for example, someone using the utility to restore yesterday's backup, when all that may be needed is a restart, or a sweep, for example.
You have already said that your users have little or no IT experience - why on Earth do you wish to let them (all) suddenly become Database Administrators?
Remember, data is the most important possession a company can have, in an insurance company that data is probably even more important. There are probably laws in all/most countries requiring companies to protect personal (and other) data - so you really don't want IT "illiterate" users messing about in the database.
And finally, for now anyway, Helen's book is excellent, however, the chapter to which you refer doesn't cover all known database problems. I've had one where there was a message in the log that said something along the lines of "wrong page type detected, expected 8 found 0" - there are others.
Your database *needs* a proper DBA.
Just my £0.02 for a Monday morning.
Good luck.
Cheers,
Norman.
Norman Dunbar
Contract Senior Oracle DBA
Capgemini Database Team (EA)
Internal : 7 28 2051
External : 0113 231 2051
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>> most of my users are just users, and not IT people -- they areI would suggest, in that case, that you will be unable to provide a "easy use" utility. Based on my experience in support for IT. :-(
>> insurance agents or office workers.
>> ... for recovery, is it safe to always assume the worst-case?No.
I note from a previous post that your users use Access in the previous application. Assuming multiple users and no need for a single shared database (and I may be wrong) then fixing an Access database would have been quite simple.
However, if the Access database was shared, then all sorts of problems usually results - it seems Access can't cope with two or more users. (Ok, slightly unfair, but only slightly!).
Are each of your users using a "personal" Firebird database or are they all connecting to a centralised one?
In the latter case, do you really want any user starting up the recovery utility and trashing the database for everyone else?
Equally, it's best to know exactly what the problem is before you attempt to recover the database - you don't want, for example, someone using the utility to restore yesterday's backup, when all that may be needed is a restart, or a sweep, for example.
You have already said that your users have little or no IT experience - why on Earth do you wish to let them (all) suddenly become Database Administrators?
Remember, data is the most important possession a company can have, in an insurance company that data is probably even more important. There are probably laws in all/most countries requiring companies to protect personal (and other) data - so you really don't want IT "illiterate" users messing about in the database.
And finally, for now anyway, Helen's book is excellent, however, the chapter to which you refer doesn't cover all known database problems. I've had one where there was a message in the log that said something along the lines of "wrong page type detected, expected 8 found 0" - there are others.
Your database *needs* a proper DBA.
Just my £0.02 for a Monday morning.
Good luck.
Cheers,
Norman.
Norman Dunbar
Contract Senior Oracle DBA
Capgemini Database Team (EA)
Internal : 7 28 2051
External : 0113 231 2051
Information in this message may be confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify the sender immediately, delete it and do not copy it to anyone else.
We have checked this email and its attachments for viruses. But you should still check any attachment before opening it.
We may have to make this message and any reply to it public if asked to under the Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act or for litigation. Email messages and attachments sent to or from any Environment Agency address may also be accessed by someone other than the sender or recipient, for business purposes.
If we have sent you information and you wish to use it please read our terms and conditions which you can get by calling us on 08708 506 506. Find out more about the Environment Agency at www.environment-agency.gov.uk