> Why is backup from a program so important? I
> think backup should be ab automated process - not
> requiring 'any' effort from the DBA. Restore might
> be convenient, but it would be very, very low on
> my priorities list.

I agree that backups should be normally be automated, but the DBA or
system administrator should be able to check that the backups have
been executing correctly and that no errors have occured.

There can also be occassions when it can be good to let the DBA
initiate their own backup as part of a special process. For example;
At end of year there are often various clean-up, archiving and
rollover processes to be run. It may be convenient/preferable to let
the DBA take a backup immediately before running such procedures.

Because of this, it would be good to be able to provide a controlled
implementation of the backup to the DBA. (Avoiding overwrite of the
automated backups, and controlling the various options etc.) Of
course this can be done via a separate shortcut to a gbak batch file,
but in a defined process it would convenient to perform within the
client application to be sure it is completed successfully etc.

Geoff Worboys
Telesis Computing