Abstract: A method for refreshing a relational data base snapshot manifest in the form of remote read-only copies of selected portions of a base table. The method takes advantage of the fact that each tuple of the base table has a unique identifier TID associated therewith from the time the record is inserted until it is deleted. The TID references the physical location of the tuple within its relation. Two system-maintained fields are added to the base table. These are PREVTID and update ID. One system-maintained column is required in the snapshot table, i.e. BASE TID. Lastly, a column in the catalog of the snapshot is also maintained, i.e. SNAPHIGH.When the refresh of the snapshot table is required, a single scan of the base relation, in ascending TID sequence, is performed on the base table. The scan produces a series of messages which contain the incremental changes required to update the snapshot table to the current state of the base relation.