Determining database record content changes

A system comprising:

• an active database server coupled to a backup database server;
• and
• an application running under the active database server, the application identifying changes to a database of the active database server by:
• generating at a first time a first copy of the database;
• generating at a second time a copy of log files that include changes to the database since the first time;
• applying contents of the copy of the log files persistently to the first copy of the database;
• identifying any changed blocks of the first copy of the database resulting from the application of the copy of the log files;
• and
• identifying changes to at least one record of the database occurring between the first time and the second time using data of the changed blocks and a second copy of the database.

A method running under a processor, the method comprising:

• generating at a first time a first copy of a database;
• generating at a second time a copy of log files that include changes to the database since the first time;
• applying contents of the copy of the log files to the first copy of the database;
• identifying changes to at least one record of the first copy of the database occurring between the first time and the second time;
• and
• updating the database by archiving only data of the at least one record corresponding to the changes that occur subsequent to the generating of the first copy.