Defragmenting a MDF file increasing allocated free space

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Defragmenting a MDF file increasing allocated free space

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Darren.Siegert

Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:28 AM

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My boss decided one of our databases which was performing fine was taking up too much space. His action was to run a shrink database command and then reduce the allocated free space by 50%.

The database is a reporting mart which gets loaded with approx 200,000 records every night. Before the above changes this load run for 2yrs and use to take 2hrs. Since the changes I have noticed the mdf file is badly fragmented and the load know takes between 8-10hrs.

How can I get back the allocated free space and defrag the mdf file? And do you think this will help with the performance issue?

Post #684190

GSquared

Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:37 AM

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Is the file having to grow in order to get the load done? That's the most likely cause of the slow-down.

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Post #684201

SA-1

Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:43 AM

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The default trace should be able to help you find out if there are file growths (event class 92 and 93) during the data loads.

Post #684207

Darren.Siegert

Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 9:02 AM

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Thanks I'll see if i can find the trace.

Its not somethinmg I have used before.

Post #684234

Jeffrey Williams 3188

Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 12:22 PM

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To find out whether or not the data file is growing (autogrowths) you can use the Disk Usage report. Right-click on the database, go to reports and select the Disk Usage report. If you are not on SP2 or greater - the reports are in a different location but still accessible.

When the database was shrunk - all of your indexes were fragmented. I would schedule an index rebuild when you have the time, and make sure you have at least 1.5x the largest table available space in the data file. If not, manually grow the datafile so you do.

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Post #684471

maechismo_8514

Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 12:58 PM

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Darren.Siegert (3/26/2009)

The database is a reporting mart which gets loaded with approx 200,000 records every night.

With that kind of inserts I would drop and create them. Check the fragmentation levels after the inserts and then you can either decide to rebuild them or drop&create the indexes.

Post #684505

GilaMonster

Posted Thursday, March 26, 2009 1:45 PM

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Darren.Siegert (3/26/2009)

His action was to run a shrink database command and then reduce the allocated free space by 50%.

Rebuild all of your indexes (perhaps after growing the file by 20% or so).

Shrinking causes massive fragmentation and will just result in the data file growing again next time data gets added. When that happens, the entire system will slow down as the file is expanded. Also repeated shrinks and grows will cause fragmentation at the file-system level, which is hard to fix.

See - http://sqlinthewild.co.za/index.php/2007/09/08/shrinking-databases/

Gail Shaw
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Post #684552

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