A system includes an active node and a standby node and zero or more replica nodes. Each of the nodes includes a database system, such as an in-memory database system. Client updates applied to the active node are written through to the standby node, and the standby node writes the updates through to a primary database and updates the replica nodes. Commit ticket numbers tag entries in transaction logs and are used to facilitate recovery if either of the active node or the standby node fails. Updates applied to the primary database are autorefreshed to the active node and written through by the active node to the standby node which propagates the updates to the replica nodes. Bookmarks are used to track updated records of the primary database and are used to facilitate recovery if either of the active node or the standby node fails.