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• Availability
• Backup
• Maintenance
• Troubleshooting

• Point-in-time restore of database backup?

  SQL Server 2005 added the STOPAT option for the RESTORE DATABASE command. This sounds great - we can stop at some point in time during the database backup process was running! Or? No, we can't. Here follows some tech stuff why not, and then what the option Read More... Posted Tuesday, December 28, 2010 6:42 PM by TiborKaraszi | 2 Comments Filed under: Backup, Transaction log

• Why we never want to trick SQL Server into rebuilding a log file

  "Never" is a strong word, so let me say that we really really want to avoid it, if at all humanly possible. In short, we will have a (potentially) broken database, both at the physical level and at the logical level. Read on. Just to be clear, when I Read More... Posted Thursday, October 14, 2010 8:04 PM by TiborKaraszi | 4 Comments Filed under: Availability, Backup, Maintenance, Transaction log, Troubleshooting

• Restore database to the point of disaster

  This is really basic, but so often overlooked and misunderstood. Basically, we have a database, and something goes south. Can we restore all the way up to that point? I.e., even if the last backup (db or log) is earlier than the disaster? Yes, of course Read More... Posted Saturday, March 27, 2010 12:50 PM by TiborKaraszi | 14 Comments Filed under: Backup, Transaction log

• Are log records removed from ldf file for rollbacks?

  Seems like a simple enough question, right? This question (but more targeted, read on) was raised in an MCT forum. While the discussion was on-going and and I tried to come up with answers, I realized that this question are really several questions. First, Read More... Posted Monday, March 22, 2010 12:34 PM by TiborKaraszi | 2 Comments Filed under: Backup, Transaction log

• Do you perform log backup for the model database?

  Are you stupid, you might think... But stop and think for a while. Model is no different from other databases. And by default it is in full recovery model. So as soon as you do your first database backup (you do backup your system databases, right?) the Read More... Posted Wednesday, November 18, 2009 2:05 PM by TiborKaraszi | 14 Comments Filed under: Backup, Maintenance, Transaction log

• Will EMPTYFILE on primary ldf "doom" it somehow?

  I just read a newgroup question whether doing SHRINKFILE with the EMPTYFILE option for the primary log file somehow cause ill effects. Shrinkfile for the ldf will not move any data (log records) or so. For an ldf file it is basically a preparation to Read More... Posted Tuesday, September 29, 2009 6:48 PM by TiborKaraszi | 3 Comments Filed under: Transaction log

• Table restore and filegroups

  The story usually goes something like: Q - How can I restore only this table? A - Put it on its own filegroup and you can do filegroup level backup and restore. The problem with above answer is that it most likely misses the point. We need to ask ourselves: Read More... Posted Thursday, June 25, 2009 1:49 PM by TiborKaraszi | 20 Comments Filed under: Backup, Transaction log

• Remove transaction log files

  Say you happened to get too many transaction log (ldf) files. Can you remove log files from the database? Yes, but only if a file isn't in use, and you cannot remove the first ("primary") log file. So, be prepared to investigate the virtual file layout, Read More... Posted Wednesday, June 17, 2009 8:47 AM by TiborKaraszi | 6 Comments Filed under: Transaction log