Preserve a Copy of the Database Design

Best practices recommend that you preserve a copy of each "finalized" or official database design. This should be performed as part of the deployment process and can be achieved through a variety of means. The motto "Its better to be safe than sorry" definitely applies here. So consider making multiple backup copies and storing them in separate locations.

• Create a database template on the server. Include a software version or release number in the title and file name of the database.
• Burn multiple copies of the database file to CD-ROM. Store a copy of the CD-ROM both onsite and offsite.
• Store a copy of the database file in a source code library system.
• Create a local copy of the database.
• Store a copy of the database template on other Domino servers.

Consider these options when looking to preserve a copy of a database design. This will enable quick access to the database design should you need to revert to a previous version, create an entirely new instance of the database, or copy it to use as the basis for a new release. Be sure to preserve a copy of each release deployed into the production environment.