GDS 2000 PRO (English)
GDS 2000 PRO (French)

When using GDS 2000 PRO in day-to-day operation, the database is sometimes subjected to events that pose minor problems to the database structures. These events include:

- Abnormal termination of GDS 2000 PRO or InterBase application.

- Write errors in the operating system or hardware.

- Hardware failures.


GDS 2000 PRO database (InterBase 6) has a parameter called "Forced Writes". By default, this parameter is set to "Disabled". When this parameter is set to "Disabled" for a specific database, when writes are performed to the database (by example when users add service calls), the data may not be physically written to the disk, since operating systems buffer disk writes.

Setting the "Forced Writes" parameter to "Disabled" accelerates database writes access. However, if the computer where the database is located have a system failure (as indicated above) before the data is written to disk by the operating system, the information can be lost.

When the computer where the database is located have protection (such as UPS), risks to corrupt database are reduced.

On the other hand, when the "Forced Writes" parameter is set to "Enabled" for a specific database, this ensures a better data integrity (since operating systems don't buffer disk writes) but can slow performance. In particular, operations which involve data modification are slower. (Note that operating systems can use other methods to accelerate disk access non controllable by InterBase).

If GDS 2000 PRO database is located on a computer and this computer have protection (such as UPS, Raid, etc.) the risks the computer crash are reduced. So, configuring the "Forced Writes" parameter to "Disabled" will give you better performances.

On the other hand, if the database is located on a computer and this computer does'nt have any protection or the risks this computer crash are higher (by example, when this computer is used as workstation instead of server, the risks this computer crash are higher because Windows or any application can freeze and a cold reset can be necessary), its recommended to set the "Forced Writes" parameter to "Enabled".

How to change the "Forced Writes" parameter for a database:

If INTERBASE is installed on a LINUX server, you need to have the "Super Server" version of INTERBASE installed on your LINUX server to be able to use the "IBConsole" utility mentionned in the procedure bellow. If you have the "Classic Server" version of INTERBASE installed on your LINUX server, refer to the "Operations Guide" manual in the INTERBASE documentation to use the "gfix" command line utility instead of "IBConsole"

For steps 2 and 3 below, if it is the first time you use the "IBConlole" utility and your server or your database is not listed, refer to our FAQ 10024-EN or to the "Operations Guide" manual in the INTERBASE documentation to know how to register a server and/or a database in the "IBConsole" utility.

Before beginning, be sure that nobody access the GDS 2000 PRO database.

1- Execute the "IBConsole" utility included with GDS 2000 PRO.

2- Double-click on the server where the database is located. (If the database is on your local computer, select "Local Server"). Type "SYSDBA" in the field "User Name" and "masterkey" in the field "Password" and click on the "Login" button. (If you have changed the password for the "SYSDBA" INTERBASE user, type the new password in the "Password" field instead of "masterkey").

3- Select the database to configure by double-clicking on it.

4- From the menu, select "Database", "Properties" then select the "General" tab.

5- From the drop down list, change the value of the "Forced Writes" parameter then click the 'OK" button to save your change.

6- Quit the "IBConsole" utility.

Information