BEFORE_IMAGE is a form of Journaling that creates "mini-backups" preceding each database update. Backward Recovery uses these mini-backups to restore the database as far back in time then it replays the database updates."BEFORE_IMAGE" journaling requires more disk I/O and storage space than M-level (or NOBEFORE) journaling but delivers faster recovery times from system failures .

	s stated in the GDE chapter, the MM database access method bypasses the BG buffer pool and relies entirely on the operating/file system to manage traffic between memory and disk. Because with MM, GT.M has no control over the timing of disk updates, BEFORE_IMAGE journaling is not an option with MM; attempts to use these two facilities together produce an error.