Real-Time Applications of Checkpoints
- Backup and Recovery
- Performance Optimization
- Auditing
1. Checkpoint and Recovery
A checkpoint is one of the key tools which helps in the recovery process of the database. In case of a system failure, DBMS can find the information stored in the checkpoint to recover the database till its last known stage.
The speed of recovery in case of a system failure depends on the duration of the checkpoint set by the database administrator. For Example, if the checkpoint interval is set to a shorter duration, it helps in faster recovery and vice-versa. If more frequent checkpoint has to be written to disk, it can also impact the performance.
2. Importance of Checkpoint in Performance Optimization
Checkpoint plays an essential role in the Recovery of the database. Still, it also plays a vital role in improving the performance of DBMS, and this can be done by reducing the amount of work that should be done during recovery. It can discard any unnecessary information which helps to keep the database clean and better for optimization purposes.
Another way in which checkpoint is used to improve the performance of the database is by reducing the amount of data that is to be read from the disk in case of recovery. Analyzing the checkpoints clearly helps in minimizing the data that is to be read from the disk, which improves the recovery time. and in that way, it helps in Performance Optimization.
3. Checkpoints and Auditing
Checkpoints can be used for different purposes like Performance Optimization, it can also be used for Auditing Purposes. Checkpoints help view the database’s history and identify any problem that had happened at any particular time.
In case of any type of failure, database administrators can use the checkpoint to determine when it has happened and what amount of data has been affected.
Checkpoints in DBMS
Pre-Requisite: Transaction Management
The Checkpoint is used to declare a point before which the DBMS was in a consistent state, and all transactions were committed. During transaction execution, such checkpoints are traced. After execution, transaction log files will be created. Upon reaching the savepoint/checkpoint, the log file is destroyed by saving its update to the database. Then a new log is created with upcoming execution operations of the transaction and it will be updated until the next checkpoint and the process continues.