Method and system for implementing current, consistent, and complete backups

An apparatus for backing up an online database, the online database being actively changed by one or more applications, and subsequently restoring the backed up online database, the online database including a plurality of records, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a change log;
• (b) a target database;
• (c) a processor configured to back up the online database by:
• (i) copying the plurality of records in the online database to a storage device, and
• (ii) during the copying of the plurality of records in the online database to the storage device, writing changes that are made to the plurality of records in the online database to the change log for a portion of the plurality of records in the online database that has already been copied to the storage device, and not writing changes that are made to the plurality of records in the online database to the change log for a portion of the plurality of records in the online database that has not yet been copied to the storage device,
• wherein during the copying of the plurality of records in the online database to the storage device, writing changes that are made to the plurality of records in the online database to the change log for only the most recent changes for the portion of the plurality of records in the online database that has already been loaded to the storage device,
• the processor further configured to restore the backed up plurality of records in the online database by:
• (i) loading the copied plurality of records in the online database from the storage device to the target database,
• wherein the target database is a distinct storage entity from the storage device, and
• (ii) applying the changes in the change log to the target database,
• wherein the change log includes one or more rows, records or blocks of data that have been changed.