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in full recovery mode but log keeps self-truncating

Author
2 Dec 2008 10:21 PM
JRStern
We have a dev database we keep in simple recovery mode.  We restored a fresh
copy of the database from production, and it was set down to simple mode. 
The log file was only 500kb.  We set it up to full recovery mode.  We're
hammering the server with deletes.  The log file expanded to 1gb.  We can
watch the space_used rise to about 300gb - then it truncates back down again,
as if it were still in simple.  We set the mode using the SSMS.  It shows as
full.  But the log file refuses to grow!  There is no process pulling off
backups - AFAIK!

Can anybody enlighten me what is going on here?

Thanks.

Josh

Author
2 Dec 2008 10:25 PM
JRStern
Sorry, space used rises to about 300mb, inside the 1gb, and then it truncates.

SQL Server 2005 sp2 plus hotfixes.

Josh


Show quoteHide quote
"JRStern" wrote:

> We have a dev database we keep in simple recovery mode.  We restored a fresh
> copy of the database from production, and it was set down to simple mode. 
> The log file was only 500kb.  We set it up to full recovery mode.  We're
> hammering the server with deletes.  The log file expanded to 1gb.  We can
> watch the space_used rise to about 300gb - then it truncates back down again,
> as if it were still in simple.  We set the mode using the SSMS.  It shows as
> full.  But the log file refuses to grow!  There is no process pulling off
> backups - AFAIK!
>
> Can anybody enlighten me what is going on here?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Josh
>
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Author
2 Dec 2008 10:32 PM
Russell Fields
Josh,

From your narrative, you restored, set to SIMPLE, then set to FULL.  You did
not mention doing a database backup after the set to FULL recovery model.

If you have not backed up the database since setting it to FULL recovery,
the transaction log is meaningless in terms of recovery. If I understand
correctly, SQL Server will truncate periodically since there is not starting
point (the full backup) to which the log can be applied.

Once you have done a full backup you should see the normal behaviour.

RLF

Show quoteHide quote
"JRStern" <JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:456BEDF1-8CB7-4F41-8122-7C44B86A3F28@microsoft.com...
> Sorry, space used rises to about 300mb, inside the 1gb, and then it
> truncates.
>
> SQL Server 2005 sp2 plus hotfixes.
>
> Josh
>
>
> "JRStern" wrote:
>
>> We have a dev database we keep in simple recovery mode.  We restored a
>> fresh
>> copy of the database from production, and it was set down to simple mode.
>> The log file was only 500kb.  We set it up to full recovery mode.  We're
>> hammering the server with deletes.  The log file expanded to 1gb.  We can
>> watch the space_used rise to about 300gb - then it truncates back down
>> again,
>> as if it were still in simple.  We set the mode using the SSMS.  It shows
>> as
>> full.  But the log file refuses to grow!  There is no process pulling off
>> backups - AFAIK!
>>
>> Can anybody enlighten me what is going on here?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Josh
>>
Author
2 Dec 2008 10:52 PM
JRStern
"Russell Fields" wrote:

> Josh,
> Once you have done a full backup you should see the normal behaviour.

You know, that was suggested here, but nobody here was really aware that was
a necessary step.

Dang, so the bad move was setting it to simple, since the restored database
was already in full, we have the backup already, and doing another backup (or
restore!) will take hours.

Thanks.

Josh
Author
2 Dec 2008 11:02 PM
Aaron Bertrand [SQL Server MVP]
Have you backed up the database?  Kalen just wrote a good piece about this
yesterday:

http://sqlblog.com/blogs/kalen_delaney/archive/2008/11/30/when-is-full-recov
ery-not-really-full-recovery.aspx




On 12/2/08 5:21 PM, in article
4F4CAFD9-35BF-4163-8DDE-35E36F4EE***@microsoft.com, "JRStern"
<JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

Show quoteHide quote
> We have a dev database we keep in simple recovery mode.  We restored a fresh
> copy of the database from production, and it was set down to simple mode.
> The log file was only 500kb.  We set it up to full recovery mode.  We're
> hammering the server with deletes.  The log file expanded to 1gb.  We can
> watch the space_used rise to about 300gb - then it truncates back down again,
> as if it were still in simple.  We set the mode using the SSMS.  It shows as
> full.  But the log file refuses to grow!  There is no process pulling off
> backups - AFAIK!
>
> Can anybody enlighten me what is going on here?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Josh
>
Author
2 Dec 2008 11:10 PM
JRStern
Yep, well, swell, that's exactly where we are!

Is this new behavior in 2005?

I could have sworn that back in the day, you could set it to full, and the
log started growing immediately.  Yes?

Thanks.

Josh



Show quoteHide quote
"Aaron Bertrand [SQL Server MVP]" wrote:

> Have you backed up the database?  Kalen just wrote a good piece about this
> yesterday:
>
> http://sqlblog.com/blogs/kalen_delaney/archive/2008/11/30/when-is-full-recovery-not-really-full-recovery.aspx
>
>
>
>
> On 12/2/08 5:21 PM, in article
> 4F4CAFD9-35BF-4163-8DDE-35E36F4EE***@microsoft.com, "JRStern"
> <JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > We have a dev database we keep in simple recovery mode.  We restored a fresh
> > copy of the database from production, and it was set down to simple mode.
> > The log file was only 500kb.  We set it up to full recovery mode.  We're
> > hammering the server with deletes.  The log file expanded to 1gb.  We can
> > watch the space_used rise to about 300gb - then it truncates back down again,
> > as if it were still in simple.  We set the mode using the SSMS.  It shows as
> > full.  But the log file refuses to grow!  There is no process pulling off
> > backups - AFAIK!
> >
> > Can anybody enlighten me what is going on here?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Josh
> >
>
>
Author
3 Dec 2008 12:01 AM
Aaron Bertrand [SQL Server MVP]
I don't remember behavior like that, sorry.  That doesn't mean it was never
like that, but you can't take assumptions from one version to the next
anyway...




Show quoteHide quote
> Yep, well, swell, that's exactly where we are!
>
> Is this new behavior in 2005?
>
> I could have sworn that back in the day, you could set it to full, and the
> log started growing immediately.  Yes?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Josh
Author
3 Dec 2008 3:30 AM
Kalen Delaney
I believe it has been this way at least since Recovery Models were
introduced in SQL Server 2000.

--
HTH
Kalen Delaney, SQL Server MVP
www.InsideSQLServer.com
www.SQLTuners.com


Show quoteHide quote
"JRStern" <JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0510FD66-11DF-4A43-895B-200CB485C5AE@microsoft.com...
> Yep, well, swell, that's exactly where we are!
>
> Is this new behavior in 2005?
>
> I could have sworn that back in the day, you could set it to full, and the
> log started growing immediately.  Yes?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Josh
>
>
>
> "Aaron Bertrand [SQL Server MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Have you backed up the database?  Kalen just wrote a good piece about
>> this
>> yesterday:
>>
>> http://sqlblog.com/blogs/kalen_delaney/archive/2008/11/30/when-is-full-recovery-not-really-full-recovery.aspx
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 12/2/08 5:21 PM, in article
>> 4F4CAFD9-35BF-4163-8DDE-35E36F4EE***@microsoft.com, "JRStern"
>> <JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> > We have a dev database we keep in simple recovery mode.  We restored a
>> > fresh
>> > copy of the database from production, and it was set down to simple
>> > mode.
>> > The log file was only 500kb.  We set it up to full recovery mode.
>> > We're
>> > hammering the server with deletes.  The log file expanded to 1gb.  We
>> > can
>> > watch the space_used rise to about 300gb - then it truncates back down
>> > again,
>> > as if it were still in simple.  We set the mode using the SSMS.  It
>> > shows as
>> > full.  But the log file refuses to grow!  There is no process pulling
>> > off
>> > backups - AFAIK!
>> >
>> > Can anybody enlighten me what is going on here?
>> >
>> > Thanks.
>> >
>> > Josh
>> >
>>
>>
Author
3 Dec 2008 6:14 AM
Tibor Karaszi
> Is this new behavior in 2005?

Since the new architecture (7.0).

Show quoteHide quote
"JRStern" <JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0510FD66-11DF-4A43-895B-200CB485C5AE@microsoft.com...
> Yep, well, swell, that's exactly where we are!
>
> Is this new behavior in 2005?
>
> I could have sworn that back in the day, you could set it to full,
> and the
> log started growing immediately.  Yes?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Josh
>
>
>
> "Aaron Bertrand [SQL Server MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Have you backed up the database?  Kalen just wrote a good piece
>> about this
>> yesterday:
>>
>> http://sqlblog.com/blogs/kalen_delaney/archive/2008/11/30/when-is-full-recovery-not-really-full-recovery.aspx
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 12/2/08 5:21 PM, in article
>> 4F4CAFD9-35BF-4163-8DDE-35E36F4EE***@microsoft.com, "JRStern"
>> <JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> > We have a dev database we keep in simple recovery mode.  We
>> > restored a fresh
>> > copy of the database from production, and it was set down to
>> > simple mode.
>> > The log file was only 500kb.  We set it up to full recovery mode.
>> > We're
>> > hammering the server with deletes.  The log file expanded to 1gb.
>> > We can
>> > watch the space_used rise to about 300gb - then it truncates back
>> > down again,
>> > as if it were still in simple.  We set the mode using the SSMS.
>> > It shows as
>> > full.  But the log file refuses to grow!  There is no process
>> > pulling off
>> > backups - AFAIK!
>> >
>> > Can anybody enlighten me what is going on here?
>> >
>> > Thanks.
>> >
>> > Josh
>> >
>>
>>
Author
3 Dec 2008 5:15 PM
JRStern
That's about the last time I had any real admin responsibilities for SQL
Server, good ol' 6.5 days.

Time to update the notes ...

.... though some local admins were not really aware of it, either, with
perhaps less excuse.

Learning is a lifetime job - and as Aaron pointed out, ya never know about
the new (!) versions!

Thanks.

Josh


Show quoteHide quote
"Tibor Karaszi" wrote:

> > Is this new behavior in 2005?
>
> Since the new architecture (7.0).
>
> --
> Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
> http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
> http://sqlblog.com/blogs/tibor_karaszi
>
>
> "JRStern" <JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:0510FD66-11DF-4A43-895B-200CB485C5AE@microsoft.com...
> > Yep, well, swell, that's exactly where we are!
> >
> > Is this new behavior in 2005?
> >
> > I could have sworn that back in the day, you could set it to full,
> > and the
> > log started growing immediately.  Yes?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Josh
> >
> >
> >
> > "Aaron Bertrand [SQL Server MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> Have you backed up the database?  Kalen just wrote a good piece
> >> about this
> >> yesterday:
> >>
> >> http://sqlblog.com/blogs/kalen_delaney/archive/2008/11/30/when-is-full-recovery-not-really-full-recovery.aspx
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 12/2/08 5:21 PM, in article
> >> 4F4CAFD9-35BF-4163-8DDE-35E36F4EE***@microsoft.com, "JRStern"
> >> <JRSt***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> > We have a dev database we keep in simple recovery mode.  We
> >> > restored a fresh
> >> > copy of the database from production, and it was set down to
> >> > simple mode.
> >> > The log file was only 500kb.  We set it up to full recovery mode.
> >> > We're
> >> > hammering the server with deletes.  The log file expanded to 1gb.
> >> > We can
> >> > watch the space_used rise to about 300gb - then it truncates back
> >> > down again,
> >> > as if it were still in simple.  We set the mode using the SSMS.
> >> > It shows as
> >> > full.  But the log file refuses to grow!  There is no process
> >> > pulling off
> >> > backups - AFAIK!
> >> >
> >> > Can anybody enlighten me what is going on here?
> >> >
> >> > Thanks.
> >> >
> >> > Josh
> >> >
> >>
> >>
>
>

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