Why is the database machine bound?

[rob]

Originally Posted by mantrasong

I dislike the idea that I can't just make automatic copies of my database, like I do every other file, in a standard "backup changed files on my hard drive" backup system. While I am no database expert, it seems to me that a bit-by-bit binary backup, that I would restore post computer failure, ought to work regardless of hardware changes. If that isn't the case, it seems to be because it is designed in, and I'd like the reason why. At the end of the day, that's something I'd need to hear from a Lone Wolf staff, not speculation.

You can ABSOLUTELY backup your database doing normal backups. However, the caveat is that you definitely should NOT be running Realm Works when you do so. If you do, then the ability to recover that backup is not guaranteed.

This is a standard thing with all professional-grade database systems. If the database is running and in use, you can grab a snapshot of it, and it will USUALLY be valid, but that's not guaranteed. The only way to GUARANTEE the integrity of the backup is to make sure that the database is in a "quiet" state with zero activity of any sort going on. And the only way to guarantee that is to do it when there are no clients accessing the database (i.e. product is shutdown) OR when the product itself goes into a "safe" state where it can perform the backup.

Since you're comfortable playing things a little fast and loose in your environment, the above considerations may be perfectly reasonable to you. Just as long as you're fully aware of the implications. If you want to be 100% certain the backup is valid, there are only two ways to achieve that, so either retain multiple backups in case is invalid or ensure the database is "quiet" as outlined above.

From our perspective, though, we're only going to advertise the ways that are GUARANTEED to safeguard data for user. The last thing we want a user to do is take a shortcut without realize the risks and end up with lost data as a result.

Hope this makes sense!

[rob]

Originally Posted by mantrasong

Because I can't help but push my luck, what would happen if I did keep it on the network drive, and used two different computers to access it, as long as I'm only accessing the database from one computer at a time, presumably updating the ID as needed? (Again, all the usual caveats about how I know this is a bad idea, but I'm curious anyway)

Here's the best way to put it that I can come up with...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyaLZHiJJnE

[mirtos]

Hehe. That made me smile. Thanks rob.

[EightBitz]

Originally Posted by rob

You can ABSOLUTELY backup your database doing normal backups. However, the caveat is that you definitely should NOT be running Realm Works when you do so. If you do, then the ability to recover that backup is not guaranteed.

This is a standard thing with all professional-grade database systems. If the database is running and in use, you can grab a snapshot of it, and it will USUALLY be valid, but that's not guaranteed. The only way to GUARANTEE the integrity of the backup is to make sure that the database is in a "quiet" state with zero activity of any sort going on. And the only way to guarantee that is to do it when there are no clients accessing the database (i.e. product is shutdown) OR when the product itself goes into a "safe" state where it can perform the backup.

Since you're comfortable playing things a little fast and loose in your environment, the above considerations may be perfectly reasonable to you. Just as long as you're fully aware of the implications. If you want to be 100% certain the backup is valid, there are only two ways to achieve that, so either retain multiple backups in case is invalid or ensure the database is "quiet" as outlined above.

From our perspective, though, we're only going to advertise the ways that are GUARANTEED to safeguard data for user. The last thing we want a user to do is take a shortcut without realize the risks and end up with lost data as a result.

Hope this makes sense!

So, what you're saying is, so long as Realm Works is shutdown, I can backup the database with a file-level backup, and I can email it to myself as a backup.

And if it's too big to email, I can compress it with a zip file.

And if the zip file is still too big, I can chop it up into smaller files, and email each smaller part in a separate email.

Then, if I have to restore, I can download all the parts, reassemble them (ideally in the right order), unzip them, put the database file back where it's supposed to be, and if it's a new computer or something, all it'll have to do is request a new ID number.

That should all work fine, right?

[EightBitz]

Rob? You still awake? ... Rob? ... Rob?!?!?

Oh, crap. Someone get some smelling salts!!!

[MaxSupernova]

Originally Posted by EightBitz

Rob? You still awake? ... Rob? ... Rob?!?!?

Oh, crap. Someone get some smelling salts!!!

I think he's off testing the "passenger pigeons carrying post it notes with ones and zeroes on them" back up and restore method...

[EightBitz]

Originally Posted by MaxSupernova

I think he's off testing the "passenger pigeons carrying post it notes with ones and zeroes on them" back up and restore method...

Ah. RFC1149.

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1149.txt

[rob]

Originally Posted by EightBitz

So, what you're saying is, so long as Realm Works is shutdown, I can backup the database with a file-level backup, and I can email it to myself as a backup.

And if it's too big to email, I can compress it with a zip file.

And if the zip file is still too big, I can chop it up into smaller files, and email each smaller part in a separate email.

Then, if I have to restore, I can download all the parts, reassemble them (ideally in the right order), unzip them, put the database file back where it's supposed to be, and if it's a new computer or something, all it'll have to do is request a new ID number.

That should all work fine, right?

Yep. That's what the Beta team did for quite awhile until we got syncing operational. It all worked fine for them when they used backup/restore to migrate databases between desktop and laptop (and back again) for game sessions.

[Zaphod Beebledoc]

Originally Posted by rob

Here's the best way to put it that I can come up with...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyaLZHiJJnE

Originally Posted by EightBitz

Ah. RFC1149.

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1149.txt

I'm not sure which one made me chuckle more!

[Galahan]

Originally Posted by Galahan

I bought the realm works and I was somewhat disappointed that it's not entirely off line. Even after you created your realm in the cloud, you need access to the internet to run the software, because it has to be authenticated everytime you use it. This is a problem for me, because I like to work on my laptop in my spare time and sometimes I don't have internet available.

Originally Posted by MaxSupernova

Nope. Run in offline mode. No internet needed at all. No login, no authentication.
When the program first starts, instead of entering a password, click the "Work Offline" button. Make sure your data is synced first, if you've worked on it elsewhere.
All you need the internet for is to create a Realm. Crate a few extras when you are connected just in case.

Originally Posted by EightBitz

This is absolutely not true. On the login screen, there's a "Work Offline" button. I've used it many times.

My mistake. I assumed that I had to fill the login. I'm glad that I'm wrong.