Abstract: Various embodiments described herein offer improved functionality for configuring software applications so as to provide customers with a great deal of configuration flexibility, while reducing data redundancy and facilitating maintenance. Multiple configuration layers are provided, including system layer(s) and tenant-specific layer(s). System layer(s) specify configuration parameters for a group of tenants, and tenant-specific layer(s) can be used to override particular parameters as needed for individual tenants. In this manner, the system layer(s) act as a template upon which tenant-specific configuration layer(s) can be added.

Abstract: There is provided a database system and a method for providing a backup for a database. A database is stored at a primary server. A snapshot of the database is communicated from the primary server to a secondary server, and the snapshot of the database is stored at the secondary server. At least one request to make a change to the database is received at a publisher server, and the publisher server transmits the at least one request to each of a message queue associated with the primary server and a message queue associated with the secondary server. The database at the primary server is updated by processing each requested change.