Snuffkins Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Oh please, i'd love too know how long they say ermmmm for, lol. My .ldf is 1.2kb with a 1 gig database. I do run the sql backup on a nightly basis though.
Snuffkins Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 110gb ldf looks like the log file hasn't bee truncated in a looOOOng time. Has the NM ever backed up SIMS.net I was thinking that, but when you do an update it automatically does a backup. Do you know what version of sim.net it is? It should be 7.70. Maybe he hasn't updated or backed up ever, lol. Actually that wouldn't be funny.
NetworkGeezer Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 You have support direct from Capita I'm confused as well, a lock file should only be the size (or slightly bigger?) of it's main db file, I'm sure.. Shall I ring Capita and tell them that I have a 800mb mdf file and a 110Gb lock file and see what they say, just for a laugh?! I hate to be a pedant especially as I make so many mystakes myself but it's log file not lock file. The ldf stores any transactions which haven't stored in the main ldf file.
NetworkGeezer Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 I was thinking that, but when you do an update it automatically does a backup. Do you know what version of sim.net it is? It should be 7.70. Maybe he hasn't updated or backed up ever, lol. Actually that wouldn't be funny. It would have to be 7.62 at the very least unless the NM got a note from his mum to excuse hime from doing PLASC ...sorry School Census
indiegirl Posted March 16, 2006 Author Posted March 16, 2006 NetworkGeezer: pedantic, but excused. My error! I think my brain was working on the age-old Access DBs and their 'lock' files :oops: Let's see... I am running...... 7.62, build 8, DB build 3.61.198 I couldn't honestly tell you if the NM has ever backed SIMS.net up... I'm very, very worried now...
Snuffkins Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 lmao, i wonder why it is they employ this particular fellow? Where is the NM though? Shouldn't he be sorting this out himself?
wesleyw Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 I run a System -> Tools -> Backup everynight which just saves a few things but even though the MDF here is 503mb the ldf is only 2.3mb so tell them that it will be shutting down in ten minutes for a twenty minutes fix then run what Snuffkins suggested it needs to be done and as long as you backup your decisions with fact i.e. the server will be unusable by the end of the week so no-one will be able to access sims then I think they'll capitulate! Don't take no for an answer go to the head about it stating what will happend and tell them to log out! If they don't reboot the server within an hour and then do it lol! Wes
wesleyw Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 He's in india Snuffkins! He's a complete prat by the looks of it! While I was working at Snuffkins place we had a few people who didn't like me stopping the SIMS server I still did though! In the end the servers are your responsibility not theirs if they want a good service then every so often these things need doing! Wes
NetworkGeezer Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Let's see... I am running...... 7.62, build 8, DB build 3.61.198 I couldn't honestly tell you if the NM has ever backed SIMS.net up... I'm very, very worried now... So remember kids: Backup your MIS or other DB at leat a few times within 6 months.
Snuffkins Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Isn't 7.62 the January release? Do you think if it didn't back up with an upgrade he would have done it at all?
indiegirl Posted March 16, 2006 Author Posted March 16, 2006 Indeed, the NM is in India, on a month-long holiday. I am the sole IT rep, which whilst this is good for my learning curve, it's not great for my stress levels. I'd say that he planned for this to happen, *if* I had the confidence that he knew what he was doing. I'm in two minds over what to do, whether to run the backup and see if that sorts it, or whether to, ahem, just leave it in the hope that we can run with it for a few more months (by which time I think I'll have left this place and gone back to my old school).. and then hope it falls over again... big style :-D Of course, as I'm conscientious and have identified the fault, I'll fix it, even though I don't want to ;-)
NetworkGeezer Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Isn't 7.62 the January release? Do you think if it didn't back up with an upgrade he would have done it at all? If memory serves: 7.62 Autumn main release 7.64 December update release 7.68 January update release featuring Office 2003 PIA install issue. Nice.
webman Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 It will do your own job and career prospects a world of good if you manage to sort out as many problems as you can, but make sure you document them. "Such and such a problem has built up since many months ago which is now solved" - reflects well on you as to how well you can cope
NetworkGeezer Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Indeed, the NM is in India, on a month-long holiday. I am the sole IT rep, which whilst this is good for my learning curve, it's not great for my stress levels. Look on the bright side. You got a 3 pager on eduGeek in only 3 hours!!! Go girl!
indiegirl Posted March 16, 2006 Author Posted March 16, 2006 Look on the bright side. You got a 3 pager on eduGeek in only 3 hours!!! Go girl! Only through my own inadequacies! I think, knowing the NM as I do, that he may not have run any updates at all... I've just explained the situation to our line manager, who, as usual, doesn't appear to care as long as SIMS is working. Thanks guys for all your thoughts, one day (in the future) I'll make NM. I document everything I do (and everything he doesn't, hahaha), so I'll store this one for future ref.
Snuffkins Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 So let me get this right, he hasn't bothered updating since Autumn? Wow i'd have been sacked by now if we were still using the Autumn release. No wonder the ldf is so big, lol. Oh well i guess there has to be the odd negligent person, otherwise what would the rest of us have to fix lol. And no i don't want a big list of things we'd have to fix lol.
indiegirl Posted March 16, 2006 Author Posted March 16, 2006 I think that sounds about right. No backups, no updates... 8O I've told senior mgt that he's incompetent, they know he's incompetent but have told me: "unless he does something catastrophic, we don't have any grounds to sack him" (i could run a whole forum on the grounds I have for sacking him. I once got sacked myself, for exactly what I still don't know - my termination letter never said (i wasn't there a year so a loophole in the law was exercised). Having been sacked, it infuriates me that someone so incompetent is allowed to remain. Not that I really mind.. a couple of months at the most and I shall be gone from here, back to my old place... and back to a SIMS that works (although they want to move to Pearson's E1...)
steve Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Only 300Mb??? I think it will be a bit more than that because the SQL server will dump a bak file of least 812mb into the free space. It could be a lot more considering the size of the ldf. If your backup folder is in a different partition then you might not have a problem. Yeah, suppose it will take a bit more, just going on the size of the backups we generate - typically 320Mb from a 1.2Gb database. dbattach generates .zip files though, not bak files afaik.
NetworkGeezer Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Yeah, suppose it will take a bit more, just going on the size of the backups we generate - typically 320Mb from a 1.2Gb database. dbattach generates .zip files though, not bak files afaik. SQL Server only generates the bak file. It's SysMan or DBAttach which then creates the zip file. That's why you need so much space because you have to in effect copy the entire MDF into the bak file and then have room for the resulting zip file.
indiegirl Posted March 16, 2006 Author Posted March 16, 2006 Only 300Mb??? I think it will be a bit more than that because the SQL server will dump a bak file of least 812mb into the free space. It could be a lot more considering the size of the ldf. If your backup folder is in a different partition then you might not have a problem. Yeah, suppose it will take a bit more, just going on the size of the backups we generate - typically 320Mb from a 1.2Gb database. dbattach generates .zip files though, not bak files afaik. Can I redirect the output to another folder... will it allow me to do that - then move it back, or is SIMS gonna get very grumpy with me?
Snuffkins Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Obviously your LM doesn't understand quite whats happened. You should just boycote them and go to the head and explain just how lazy and negligent the current NM is and tell them why, maybe you'll make NM sooner than you thought then . I think if we were allowed to have sims training and didn't have to pick it up as we went along like everything else we'd all be better off. I don't mind being responsible for Info Systems in the school, but i would like some formal training at least.
NetworkGeezer Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Only 300Mb??? I think it will be a bit more than that because the SQL server will dump a bak file of least 812mb into the free space. It could be a lot more considering the size of the ldf. If your backup folder is in a different partition then you might not have a problem. Can I redirect the output to another folder... will it allow me to do that - then move it back, or is SIMS gonna get very grumpy with me? Yes if you ca get into Sysman then there is an option called Backup Path to do this on the Tools menu. I am not quite sure what the equivalent would be from the command line. Hopefully it wouldn't involve creating and running an ad hoc sql file /me shivers
Snuffkins Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 I didn't think the ldf size was of concern when doing the back-up. Thought it was just the mdf size. I would have thought that not backing up or updating the mis could well have been catostrophic. Unless of course he was backing up the mdf and ldf files directly using what ever backup system you have there. Although he'd have to stop the services and start them again. That might be too much trouble for him, lol.
indiegirl Posted March 16, 2006 Author Posted March 16, 2006 Yes if you ca get into Sysman then there is an option called Backup Path to do this on the Tools menu. I am not quite sure what the equivalent would be from the command line. Hopefully it wouldn't involve creating and running an ad hoc sql file /me shivers I've got enough space to get SIMS open now so I can get into Sysman. I will run a backup as I leave tonight, and see if that changes / reduces the .ldf file and we'll go from there. If that doesn't reduce the .ldf file, I think I might phone the font of knowledge that is Capita tomorrow and request a formal answer to this ldf reduction...
NetworkGeezer Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 I didn't think the ldf size was of concern when doing the back-up. Thought it was just the mdf size. SQL server has to commit pending transactions from the ldf to the mdf before clearing the ldf. This normally happens when the SQL backup takes place, at the bak file stage. I would have thought that not backing up or updating the mis could well have been catostrophic. Unless of course he was backing up the mdf and ldf files directly using what ever backup system you have there. Although he'd have to stop the services and start them again. That might be too much trouble for him, lol. He would have to create a script that will wait while 110gb is backed up to tape. I can't imagine him doing this manually and waiting three or more hours while this happens.
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