a contractor, or an employee of a contractor, and, as I previosuly mentioned, the scenario where an ISP, by hosting a web site with a database backend, has a database in the same holding area as is held all the databases of all of the ISP's clients who similarly have web sites with database backends.
I have yet to see security issues from storing at the same place.
There is also the issue of security, in the same context; I would feel much more secure, with a database hosted by an ISP, if I could control the privileges on the database directory, rather than allowing the ISP the control.
An ISP can grant you that priv: http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/sql-grant.html Almost the same trick works with MySQL.
As an example, on a personal basis, if I ever get the number of names in my genealogy system, up to around 10,000, I would really want, if using a database backend (which would, I believe, be required), to have control over where the data is stored, so that I can easily and reliably back it up, as such data can be unreplaceable, and can take decades to accumulate.
If you're running MySQL look at something like mysqldump. When running PostgreSQL the information is here:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/static/backup.html
Similarly, for commercial databases, now that DVD's are writable, backing up a largish database, using OS backing up, would be much better, and moreso, witth the data for a database, stored where it is wanted.
Most running databases wouldn't like it if the backup is created with something like tar. IMO the best way is to use the tools provided with the product. You can create a dump with whatever tool provided and write that dump to CD-RW/DVD/whatever.
I am not sure whether it can all be done with symbolic links, to place PostgreSQL databases where a (OS, not DBMS) user or developer or DBA wants them to be stored, but I suggest that provision should exist for a person to determine where the person's (as owner of the database) database file(s) exist, for security, backing up, etc.
And then you hit the hard limit set by quota :-)
Even if you think you can do it yourself you will have to persuade your ISP/admin/whatever to create a symbolic link (even if that would be possible and what you want).
B.
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