You've just become responsible for a database, only to find that the log file is growing out of control. Why is it happening and what do you do to correct it?  Read more...

Our major goal in terms of log maintenance for all databases under our care is to optimize for write performance, in order to support all activities that require SQL Server to write to the log, including data modifications, data loads, index rebuilds, and so on. However, it's also important to keep an eye on possible log fragmentation, which, as described previously, can affect the performance of processes that need to read the log, such as log backups and the crash recovery process.  Read more...

This level takes a deeper look at how log fragmentation can affect the performance of operations that need to read the log, such as log backups, or the crash recovery process.  Read more...

Generally, you will have no need to worry about the number of virtual log files in your transaction log. However, if you use the default settings for 'auto-grow', you can end up with such 'fragmentation' in your transaction log as to affect performance noticably. How can this be avoided? How can you tell it's a problem? What do you do about it? Greg explains.  Read more...

When a SQL Server database is operating smoothly and performing well, there is no need to be particularly aware of the transaction log, beyond ensuring that every database has an appropriate backup regime and restore plan in place. When things go wrong, however, a DBA's reputation depends on a deeper understanding of the transaction log, both what it does, and how it works. An effective response to a crisis requires rapid decisions based on understanding its role in ensuring data integrity.  Read more...

This article shows how you can read the [RowLog Contents] in the Transaction Log, for Real!  Read more...

A DBA may consider switching a database to the BULK_LOGGED recovery model in the short term during, for example, bulk load operations. When a database is operating in the BULK_LOGGED model these, and a few other operations such as index rebuilds, can be minimally logged and will therefore use much less space in the log  Read more...

Why does the transaction log fill up? There are a variety of reasons, and MVP Gail Shaw walks you through the various things to check.  Read more...

Managing log files in a large enterprise environment can be an overwhelming task. In this article I will show you how to automate some of the work using SQL Alerts and Powershell 2.0  Read more...

Generally, you will have no need to worry about the number of virtual log files in your transaction log. However, if you use the default settings for 'auto-grow', you can end up with such 'fragmentation' in your transaction log as to affect performance noticably. How can this be avoided? How can you tell it's a problem? What do you do about it? Greg explains.  Read more...

In FULL recovery mode it is possible to do a point-in-time restore of a database. It is thankfully a rare event. Tony explains what's involved  Read more...

A great article that should answer all your questions about the transaction log from MVP Gail Shaw. A must read for all DBAs.  Read more...

Tony describes in more detail the SIMPLE recovery model, and the way it works, its advantages and disadvantages.  Read more...

How can I use PowerShell to do a Transaction Log backup for SQL Server databases? In this tip we look at an alternative way of creating transaction log backups using a PowerShell script.  Read more...

This article discusses the different types of backup and recovery models and gives the essential facts that will guide you to being able to achieve a recovery of a database to a point in time.  Read more...

In order to make it easier to understand truncation, space reuse and fragmentation in the log file, Tony gives a brief explanation of how the transaction log works.  Read more...

The transaction log is used by SQL Server to maintain data consistency and integrity. If the database is not in Simple-recovery mode, it can also be used in an appropriate backup regime to restore the database to a point in time.  Read more...

It seems that some people think that you can perform actions in SQL Server without logging them in the transaction log. Steve Jones talks about this myth and says it's not even an option he'd like to have.  Read more...

Why does the transaction log fill up? There are a variety of reasons, and MVP Gail Shaw walks you through the various things to check.  Read more...

This question comes up constantly in different venues. I see it sometimes 2-3 times a day on SQL Server Central....  Read more...