1. A method for providing a database view comprising transaction-consistent data reflecting the contents of a database at a specific point in time, said database comprising data elements and associated with a transaction log, said transaction log comprising active transactions and inactive transactions, said database view comprising difference storage for storing prior versions of at least one of said data elements from said database, said method comprising: determining a split point on said transaction log corresponding to said point in time; finding each transaction on said transaction log prior to said split point which performs modifications on said database; storing each of said modifications in said difference storage; finding each active transaction on said transaction log prior to said split point; and undoing any corresponding modifications in said difference storage.