1. A method of backing up a database comprising: registering each database transaction to a central repository prior to starting the database transaction, each database transaction comprising a plurality of writes to be executed for a database application on a database; receiving a first signal indicating a start of a backup application on the database; and quiescing all database transactions registered to the central repository to thereby wait for all ongoing writes of the database transactions registered to the central repository to complete and to release control of the database to the database application.