Hibernate version:
3.2.2.GA

Name and version of the database you are using:
MySQL 5.1.26-rc

We're planning on using Hibernate / JPA in a project in which we'll have legacy code hitting the same database at the same time. We'd like to be sure that Hibernate will not modify our database schema in any way (since it would likely break our legacy code).

I see the "hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto" property and that it can be set to validate | update | create | create-drop.

Question #1: Is it safe to assume that if we set hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto property to "validate" or do not specify it at all, that our database schema will not be updated?

Question #2: Aside from dirty data in any caching scheme we use, are there any other roadblocks that people have encountered while hitting the same database via Hibernate and another entry point at the same time?

Thanks!

#1 yes, hibernate does not alter any schema by default so just don't specify any hbm2ddl.auto setting

#2 non hibernate specific question - it is the case for any concurrent app accessing data ;)