Abstract: According to the present invention, a system and method for switching between databases in the event of a database failure is provided. The preferred system and method provide for database switching without requiring the computer system to be taken down and then restarted. The preferred system and method uses a database switcher on each application server and a failure detector on each database. When the failure detector determines that a problem has arisen in a primary database it sends a signal to the database switcher on the application server. The database switcher contains a list of jobs that are to be notified of a database switch, as well as the system name of the primary and backup databases. The database switcher then sets flags on each of the jobs in the notify list. When these jobs next perform a function that requires database access, the flag informs the jobs that a database switch must first be made. That switch can then be accomplished, and the jobs continued.