[Info-vax] OpenVMS - file selection abnormally with Copy / Rename or user ignorance?

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2015-03-30 07:28:49 +0000, David Froble said:

> JF Mezei wrote:
>> On 15-03-29 08:26, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
>> 
>>> Now having a reliable online BACKUP mechanism for RMS files — which 
>>> would likely involve application integration and/or use of RMS 
>>> Journaling — would be far more interesting.
>> 
>> 
>> If indexed files are no longer in vogue, perhaps BACKUP needs to have
>> some interface with the "official" database packages so that it could
>> safely capture database files.
>> 
>> If you're going to have to duplicate a database to some sequential file
>> before Backup can copy the data, why not have BACKUP save the
>> intermediate on-disk copy and copy directly from the database (with the
>> database system ensuring data consistency as it does when it does its
>> own on-line backup.
> 
> That makes my head hurt.
> 
> Complexity means you're going to shoot your foot off ...
> 
> Simplicity means you have a better chance of missing your foot ...
> 
> The current BACKUP utility has a specific job.  Archiving files.
> 
> Database systems with an included backup capability understand the 
> database, and can work with it.  They are part of the database.
> 
> To expect BACKUP to understand and work with every possible database 
> product is, extravagant to say the least, and moronic is a better 
> definition.  Would you expect the maintainers of BACKUP to constantly 
> modify the product, every time a new database is developed?  I doubt 
> that would be reasonable.

There are systems available that do exactly this.  Cleanly, modularly, 
and with no user interaction necessary, too.



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