title: Store user's images in a web application
body: <p>I have a web application currently being developed in JSP/Servlets.<br>
  The application allows users to <strong>upload</strong> image files for each user account. </p>
  
  <p><strong>What is the best way to store the images?</strong><br>
  Please consider the following features that I'd like to have before your answer;</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>I am using MySQL now, but there could be a possibility of moving to a different database.</p></li>
  <li><p>I can store the images as flat files, but I want the <code>admin</code> account to have an option to <strong>backup the complete database</strong> and reload it later. Ideally the backup/reload should work with the images too. (even if the backup was done from a different physical machine and reload was done from a different machine)</p></li>
  <li><p>Using BLOB/CLOB is an option that solves problem 2.<br>
  But, <strong>what if my database becomes very large</strong>?</p></li>
  </ol>