Server database -> client database update based on version

What is开发者_运维问答 the recommended method of collecting items in a server database, versioning the database then deploying only the version differences to a client ?

Should it by a field in the table (ie. Version: 3.3.9876) against each record ? Should it be DateTime (server based) in each record ?

And whats the best way to just deploy the changes to a client with an older version of the database ?

Is it a DUMP to a file with a Bulk import of some description ?

Open to comments.. Suggestions.

Database can be anything (firebird, mysql, sqlserver, sqlite)...

Any info greatly appreciated.

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