SynapseDirect

As with any database, it is a fact that can corruption can occur. In this eventuality what tools are available to repair corrupted databases?

What is the typical sequence for recovery. ie: recover from backup, attempt to repair db etc.
 

Database corruption occurs due to hardware faults, or improper server installation.  It is strongly advised that servers must be installed onto dedicated PCs for serving, and ideally using a server OS eg. Windows 2000 server, or Windows 2003 server.  Anything else is second best.

In the event that database corruption has occurred, your best bet is to restore from a backup.

Failing the availability of a recent backup, then you may follow the steps here.  Although it refers to Interbase, it also applies to Firebird.

I've used Firebird SQL with Synapse since March 2006.  I've had absolutely no database problems at all.  This includes many crashes of Synapse while playing with alpha releases etc.  Firebird is easy to maintain and darn near close to zero administration.  I do hourly backups, but have never needed to use them.

And I guess the good (or bad, for me) news is that I violate all of Graham's suggestions.

(1) I use a Windows XP box to host the Firebird Database.

(2) The computer was cheap, not overly high-powered.

(3) I often (mostly) use Synapse right from the "server" computer !

(4) I often run tonnes of other apps on the "server" computer as well.

Admittedly I am going to migrate to an apparently more robust system, more along the lines of Graham's suggestions.

This is just a real life testimony that despite not following the most robust guidelines, Firebird has been rock solid.

Jason:

(3) I often (mostly) use Synapse right from the "server" computer !

(4) I often run tonnes of other apps on the "server" computer as well.

Very naughty... you're asking for trouble.  You should always minimize the circumstances in which corruption can occur.

I was forced to do a clinic out of town where there was no access to the internet.  So, I copied my database to my laptop and did the clinic that way running the server locally. 

Back home I copied the database to a USB hard drive and then back onto the server.

Start up Synapse EMR - no go.  It asked to setup a new connection.

I then went to the ODBC control panel to test my connection on the server and it reported that the database was damaged

No problem ... copied it from my laptop again to the USB hard drive, and then back again on to the server.  Worked fine after that. 

You can do that if you are the only one accessing the database.  If your main office staff still have to work on the database or if you have another physician usng the database, you won't be able to do it this way.

If you run the synapse server from your PC, then there is a risk that any of the programs on your PC can crash windows and that might interrupt a database write which then corrupts the database tables.  Programs that do that also includes spyware and viruses.  It happens.  But it is much less likely to happen on a PC which no one else is using.

When I used another database program - not Firebird, on my laptop, it was a regular occurrence to get database corruption which is why I wrote Synapse as n-tier architecture, or client server, to prevent this happening. 

To check for db corruption, you should do daily database backup with the Firebird backup tool and this also can check for corruption.

XP Pro, XP Home ... both can be used if you're a single physician. I'd recommend 2Ghz P4 or faster with 512Mb of ram minimum.

If you really want to run Synapse-server on the same PC, then I'd at least suggest you run it from a virtual PC to protect it from viruses/spyware. 

Lewis:

Graham,

Where is the database located as you mentioned you can copy the database to your laptop?

I have something 6,000 copies of my REMR.fdb  :)

I just keeps making backups.  I've never had a problem, so maybe I should reduce the frequency of the backing up :)

I think that's overkill!  are you making hourly backups with Fibs??