Automatic Log expansion

SQL Server 2000 SP4
On an underpowered machine (mostly an old RAID 5 controller/drives), hosting
Visnetic MailFlow we had a .LDF file that was 10 GB (already dealt with).
When the .LDF file filled, SQL Server did a 10% expansion and the entire
server locked up for several minutes.
Is it normal for the system to refuse connections when expanding the .LDF
file? My guess is yes, because it has nowhere to put log entries (though I
would have hoped it would do the expansion before it filled, thus allowing
continued use).
How about when the .MDF/.NDF is expanded?
Thanks,
JayA 10 gig TLog? Wow :)
Is not it too big mate? You have an issue which is more important than
"expanding" thing... You better take a look at the following documentation:
Optimizing Transaction Log Performance
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa178420(SQL.80).aspx
Transaction Logs
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa933065(SQL.80).aspx
Managing the Transaction Log (Applies to SQL Server 2005, however, it's
gonna give you precious ideas I believe)
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345382.aspx
--
Ekrem Önsoy
"Jay" <nospan@.nospam.org> wrote in message
news:e7Y3Bb3BIHA.5980@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> SQL Server 2000 SP4
> On an underpowered machine (mostly an old RAID 5 controller/drives),
> hosting Visnetic MailFlow we had a .LDF file that was 10 GB (already dealt
> with). When the .LDF file filled, SQL Server did a 10% expansion and the
> entire server locked up for several minutes.
> Is it normal for the system to refuse connections when expanding the .LDF
> file? My guess is yes, because it has nowhere to put log entries (though I
> would have hoped it would do the expansion before it filled, thus allowing
> continued use).
> How about when the .MDF/.NDF is expanded?
> Thanks,
> Jay
>|||Sounds like you have Full recovery mode enabled and you are not backing up
your tlog. Common mistake.
You should size tlog appropriately for your workload, data size and backup
plan. It should NEVER grow automatically - you should control this if
needed during periods of minimal activity. Autogrowth should only fire if
something unexpected happens.
"Jay" <nospan@.nospam.org> wrote in message
news:e7Y3Bb3BIHA.5980@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> SQL Server 2000 SP4
> On an underpowered machine (mostly an old RAID 5 controller/drives),
> hosting Visnetic MailFlow we had a .LDF file that was 10 GB (already dealt
> with). When the .LDF file filled, SQL Server did a 10% expansion and the
> entire server locked up for several minutes.
> Is it normal for the system to refuse connections when expanding the .LDF
> file? My guess is yes, because it has nowhere to put log entries (though I
> would have hoped it would do the expansion before it filled, thus allowing
> continued use).
> How about when the .MDF/.NDF is expanded?
> Thanks,
> Jay
>|||Jay,
I wouldn't expect SQL Server to to refuse connections. But perhaps this was perceived so, because
the app tries to do some modification when it connects. Even the smallest modifications would
require a log records and if the log is full, well...
No, database files are not expended in advance, that is your job. ;-) This is one of the reasons why
we only use autogrow as a sort of backup plan (don't page me while I'm sleeping).
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
http://sqlblog.com/blogs/tibor_karaszi
"Jay" <nospan@.nospam.org> wrote in message news:e7Y3Bb3BIHA.5980@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> SQL Server 2000 SP4
> On an underpowered machine (mostly an old RAID 5 controller/drives), hosting Visnetic MailFlow we
> had a .LDF file that was 10 GB (already dealt with). When the .LDF file filled, SQL Server did a
> 10% expansion and the entire server locked up for several minutes.
> Is it normal for the system to refuse connections when expanding the .LDF file? My guess is yes,
> because it has nowhere to put log entries (though I would have hoped it would do the expansion
> before it filled, thus allowing continued use).
> How about when the .MDF/.NDF is expanded?
> Thanks,
> Jay
>|||That makes sense Tibor, thanks.
To everyone else, thanks for your replies, but I already dealt with the
super-sized file before the post, hence the statement "(already dealt
with)". The question was to verify why the server locked up during the
expansion. As to how it happened, I'm being handed production database
servers one-by-one and would have dealt with something as basic as a huge
logfie withing a day, if not hours, of getting a server.
Thanks,
Jay
"Tibor Karaszi" <tibor_please.no.email_karaszi@.hotmail.nomail.com> wrote in
message news:0E2F49FB-37F3-4497-9CB3-F8886A294B98@.microsoft.com...
> Jay,
> I wouldn't expect SQL Server to to refuse connections. But perhaps this
> was perceived so, because the app tries to do some modification when it
> connects. Even the smallest modifications would require a log records and
> if the log is full, well...
> No, database files are not expended in advance, that is your job. ;-) This
> is one of the reasons why we only use autogrow as a sort of backup plan
> (don't page me while I'm sleeping).
>
> --
> Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
> http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
> http://sqlblog.com/blogs/tibor_karaszi
>
> "Jay" <nospan@.nospam.org> wrote in message
> news:e7Y3Bb3BIHA.5980@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> SQL Server 2000 SP4
>> On an underpowered machine (mostly an old RAID 5 controller/drives),
>> hosting Visnetic MailFlow we had a .LDF file that was 10 GB (already
>> dealt with). When the .LDF file filled, SQL Server did a 10% expansion
>> and the entire server locked up for several minutes.
>> Is it normal for the system to refuse connections when expanding the .LDF
>> file? My guess is yes, because it has nowhere to put log entries (though
>> I would have hoped it would do the expansion before it filled, thus
>> allowing continued use).
>> How about when the .MDF/.NDF is expanded?
>> Thanks,
>> Jay
>>
>

Automatic Creation of LDF file

I was wondering how the automatic creation of a LDF (log)
file worked in MSSQL Server 2000. Is there a special
utility to use? I only have an MDF file and I try
to "Attach" it as a database. I get the following error
message:
--
Microsoft SQL-DMO (ODBC SQLState: 42000)
--
Error 1813: Could not open new database 'DBName'. CREATE
DATABASE is aborted.
Device activation error. The physical file name 'C:\SQL
Data\DBName_log.ldf' may be incorrect.
--
OK
--
It's looking for the ldf file and it won't create it. How
do I get it to create a new log file? I tried creating a
new blank database with the same name and using it's ldf,
but somehow it knows they're not from the same database.
ThanksDanny,
May be there were some open transactions and its searching the ldf file for
matching.Was this database properly detached before?A prerequisite for
sp_attach* is that the database should be properly detached using
sp_detach_db.Either you can RESTORE from a valid and latest database backup
or try the workaround mentioned in :
Restoring databases when only data file available
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/scripts/scriptdetails.asp?scriptid=599
The archived newsgroup thread
http://tinyurl.com/m071
--
Dinesh.
SQL Server FAQ at
http://www.tkdinesh.com
"Danny Forbes" <dforbes@.salessimplicity.net> wrote in message
news:105901c3724a$14f89e50$a601280a@.phx.gbl...
> I was wondering how the automatic creation of a LDF (log)
> file worked in MSSQL Server 2000. Is there a special
> utility to use? I only have an MDF file and I try
> to "Attach" it as a database. I get the following error
> message:
> --
> Microsoft SQL-DMO (ODBC SQLState: 42000)
> --
> Error 1813: Could not open new database 'DBName'. CREATE
> DATABASE is aborted.
> Device activation error. The physical file name 'C:\SQL
> Data\DBName_log.ldf' may be incorrect.
> --
> OK
> --
> It's looking for the ldf file and it won't create it. How
> do I get it to create a new log file? I tried creating a
> new blank database with the same name and using it's ldf,
> but somehow it knows they're not from the same database.
> Thanks|||Hi,
- Change your DB Status to Emergency Mode (32768).
- Stop SQL Server / Start SQL
- In query analyser, execute dbcc rebuild_log. REMEMBER: Rename old File Log
before.
- Change Your DB Status to Normal (0)
- Stop SQL Server / Start SQL
This error is because your GUID of file Log not match with definition of
your DB.
Regards,
Fabiano Maciel
"Danny Forbes" <dforbes@.salessimplicity.net> wrote in message
news:105901c3724a$14f89e50$a601280a@.phx.gbl...
> I was wondering how the automatic creation of a LDF (log)
> file worked in MSSQL Server 2000. Is there a special
> utility to use? I only have an MDF file and I try
> to "Attach" it as a database. I get the following error
> message:
> --
> Microsoft SQL-DMO (ODBC SQLState: 42000)
> --
> Error 1813: Could not open new database 'DBName'. CREATE
> DATABASE is aborted.
> Device activation error. The physical file name 'C:\SQL
> Data\DBName_log.ldf' may be incorrect.
> --
> OK
> --
> It's looking for the ldf file and it won't create it. How
> do I get it to create a new log file? I tried creating a
> new blank database with the same name and using it's ldf,
> but somehow it knows they're not from the same database.
> Thanks

Autogrowth for MDF and LDF files

I have a SQL 2005 DB that its MDF file is growing at a rate of 1 GB per day, I currently have it set up to unrestricted growth by 500 MB. Should I increase that growth to 1 GB? what would the impact of this change be? what are best practices when it comes to setting up autogrowth for MDF and LDF files?

Thanks,

CarlosI have a SQL 2005 DB that its MDF file is growing at a rate of 1 GB per day, I currently have it set up to unrestricted growth by 500 MB. Should I increase that growth to 1 GB? what would the impact of this change be? what are best practices when it comes to setting up autogrowth for MDF and LDF files?

Thanks,

Carlos

I generally allow dbs that are smaller that 20 GB to autogrow by the default setting (10%). But once they get above that size, I manage them manually and ensure that there is enough empty space in the datafile to get through until the next maintenance window.

Growing a data file in SQL 2005 is not as expensive (IO wise) as it was in SQL 2000, but I still think you want to keep a closer eye on things once they get above 20 GB. 20 GB is admittedly arbitrary. If you have space issues, you might consider a lower threshold.

Regards,

hmscott|||It depends on what your database is used for. Mine are configured to grow by several hundred MB\ a few GB but that is because there are small numbers of massive modifications. An OLTP database should not, IMHO, be growing that much each time. The user that submitted the modification that triggers a 500MB growth could be twiddling their thumbs for quite some time cursing the system as they do.

I too would manage the growth at peak periods with a view to eliminating\ reducing autogrowth as much as possible.|||Your file growth is because of your 500MB setting. When SQL starts to run out of space it will adjust by 500MB. If has to adjust twice a day, there's your 1GB. I think you're fine where you're at. Just make sure you have enough drive space. I'm sure your growth will plateau.