django AuditTrail vs Reversion

Question

I am working on an new web app I need to store any changes in database to audit table(s). Purpose of such audit tables is that later on in a real physical audit we can asecertai

Answer 1

Personally I prefer to create audit tables in the database and populate through triggers so that any change even ad hoc queries from the query window are stored. I would never consider an audit solution that is not based in the database itself. This is important because people who are making malicious changes to the database or committing fraud are not likely to do so through the web interface but on the backend directly. Far more of this stuff happens from disgruntled or larcenous employees than outside hackers. If you are using an ORM already, your data is at risk because the permissions are at the table level rather than the sp level where they belong. Therefore it is even more important that you capture any possible change to the dat not just what was from the GUI. WE have a dynamic proc to create audit tables that is run whenever new tables are added to the database. Since our audit tables populate only the changes and not the whole record, we do not need to change them every time a field is added.

Also when evaluating possible solutions, make sure you consider how hard it will be to revert the data to undo a specific change. Once you have audit tables, you will find that this is one of the most important things you need to do from them. Also consider how hard it will be to maintian the information as the database schema changes.

Choosing a solution because it appears to be the easiest to understand, is not generally a good idea. That should be lowest of your selction criteria after meeting the requirements, security, etc.