Events That Cause Checkpoints

Before a database backup, the Database Engine automatically performs a checkpoint so that all changes to the database pages are contained in the backup. In addition, checkpoints occur automatically when either of the following conditions occur:

The active portion of the log exceeds the size that the server could recover in the amount of time specified in the recovery interval server configuration option.

The log becomes 70 percent full, and the database is in log-truncate mode.

A database is in log truncate mode when both these conditions are TRUE: the database is using the Simple recovery model, and, after execution of the last BACKUP DATABASE statement that referenced the database, one of the following events occurs:

A minimally logged operation is performed in the database, such as a minimally logged bulk copy operation or a minimally logged WRITETEXT statement is executed.

An ALTER DATABASE statement is executed that adds or deletes a file in the database.

Also, stopping a server issues a checkpoint in each database on the server. The following methods of stopping SQL Server perform checkpoints for each database:

Using SQL Server Configuration Manager.

Using SQL Server Management Studio.

Using the SHUTDOWN statement.