SIMS Database Size SHrinkDBLog Help Needed

[Grommit]

Hi

 

We are a school of 1000 Pupils..

 

Our SIMS Database just jumped to 75GB.. is this normal of has it got wind ? and in need of serious attention ??

[StewartKnight]

We have half that number, but the database is nowhere near 1GB nevermind 75GB!

 

Seems large to me!

[Grommit]

We have half that number, but the database is nowhere near 1GB nevermind 75GB!

 

Seems large to me!

 

Yea I know.. I ws told it would never go above 4GB.... now it's nearly wiped out all the space on the server...

[DMcCoy]

How big is the log file? Have you moved to sql 2005? as exporting the database to back it up was broken in the august release.

[TechMonkey]

That was my first thought too, log file. Can you be more specific when you say that it has got to 75Gb? Is that the MDF. LDF, whole partition or something else?

 

As an aside check you backups have been working. We have been informed that log housekeeping is performed when backup takes place so if your backup is not working your log will be growing and growing.

[Grommit]

That was my first thought too, log file. Can you be more specific when you say that it has got to 75Gb? Is that the MDF. LDF, whole partition or something else?

 

As an aside check you backups have been working. We have been informed that log housekeeping is performed when backup takes place so if your backup is not working your log will be growing and growing.

 

It's the SIMS.ldf...

 

I do not use SIMS to back up SIMS.. the Backup is done with the daily Backp Exec ..

 

How do I purge this file ? and keep it purged ...

[Grommit]

Hi

 

I do not understand what the "instance" is on the bat script..

 

it says I have to run ShrinkDBLog {server}\{instance} {database}

 

now I do not know what the instance is ?

 

my server is called server1.. and the database is called SIMS

 

so how would the string work ?

 

so i go from the C: drive (does it have to be run from the drive the database is on ?)

 

ShrinkDBLog.bat SERVER1\SIMS sims

 

I keep getting this error

 

[DBMSLPCN]SQL Server does not exist or access denied.

[DBMSLPCN]ConnectionOpen (Connect()).

[Guest metalmonkey]

The SIMS Instance is the name give to the SQL installation that is dedicated just for SIMS. So if you are using MSDE it will normally be SIMS as well.

 

ie,

 

Server1\SIMS\SIMS

 

or if you are on SQL 2005 Express it could be

 

Server1\SIMS2005\SIMS

 

An instance can have many databases.

 

Unfortunately with SQL 2005 Express they removed the notifier in the System Tray which had the exact path SIMS applications would need. But if you're not open the SQL Manager in the system tray and it'll tell you there. Alternativly, open your Connect.ini file from your SIMS folder on the server and it'll tell you there.

 

On the size issue, there is rare problem which I've never tracked down where the Log File grows on a daily basis. The work around is to modify a setting in MS SQL Enterprise Manager. I'll dig out the tweak.

 

In most cases, if you run a System Manager back from within SIMS, this'll shrink the log file, but if it grows back within hours or days, you'll need the work around.

[Domino]

surely you'd need to put in the string somewhere the sql login?

[Joss]

In Enterprise Manager, right click your database, choose properties and on the options ensure that auto close and auto shrink are selected. If you still have a problem, on the transaction log tab of the properties window check the box which allows you to restrict file growth to a maximum size. Although I don't use SIMS, I have had CMIS running with these settings for several years with just the auto close and auto shrink options. Although the database itself is around 1GB the transaction log is only around 1MB.

[theriver]

Hi Grommit

 

My paranoia kicking in - do you have the SQL Server Agent for Backup Exec?

 

Unless you're using this, a simple Backup Exec job won't back up the SQL Server data files as they're in use by the server.

 

Sorry if I am stating the obvious.

[Domino]

it will though, as SIMS has a seperate backup routine, which you then backup the files from.

[theriver]

Domino, I am not sure I understand your post.

 

Grommit has already commented that s/he doesn't use the SIMS backup.

[PhilNeal]

Please be aware that in the August release we tightened up security and moved user definitions to SQL Server itself. If you are not using our backup you may need to alter your procedure to backup SIMS i.e. you need to back up SQL Server.

 

I am not a technical expert so for further information, if you need it, please read our release notes.