Snapshot size is tooo large

Question

Snapshot size is tooo large

Minnu

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Points: 6451
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January 29, 2014 at 7:04 am

#288828

Hi Team,
My sql server backup size is 500mb, i've created a snapshot on the same database,
but the size of snapshot is 4GB.
Please help...

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Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 1

How are you determining that?

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Minnu SSCertifiable Points: 6451 More actions · Answer 2

This is the first time i've created snapshot, i want to know that is snapshot size is more than the Database?

here my snapshot size is almost 8 times the database.

Please suggest

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 3

A snapshot size cannot be larger than the database it's a snapshot of. Hence why I asked how you're checking size and what values you're looking at where.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Minnu SSCertifiable Points: 6451 More actions · Answer 4

Creating snapshot using below code...

create database Unify_snapshot on (

name = Unify_data,

filename = 'd:\Unify_Data\sn\Unify_snapshot.ss')

as snapshot of Unify;

and the fule "Unify_snapshot.ss" size is showing 4GB.

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 5

Minnu (1/29/2014)
and the fule "Unify_snapshot.ss" size is showing 4GB.

Where is it showing 4GB? What are you checking, looking at or running to get the size of the file?

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Michael Valentine Jones SSC Guru Points: 64818 More actions · Answer 6

Database snapshot files are sparse files that show an allocated size the same size as the database file that are a snapshot of, but typically use much less space on disk.

If you open Windows Explorer, right click on the snapshot file, and click properties, you will see numbers for "Size", and "Size on Disk".

The "Size on Disk" is the amount of space that it is actually using, while the "Size" is the size it will grow to if necessary.

The size of the database backup file is related to the amount of data in the database, not the size of the database files.

Minnu SSCertifiable Points: 6451 More actions · Answer 7

Physical size of my actual backup is showing :500 MB

Physical size of my snapshot is showing : 4 GB.

Is a snapshot will take that much size?

Please clarify...

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 8

GilaMonster (1/29/2014)
Where is it showing 4GB? What are you checking, looking at or running to get the size of the file?

Post your query or screenshot or whatever else is showing you that.

Also, what is the size of the database that the snapshot is of? (Not the backup size, the database size)

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

MysteryJimbo SSC-Insane Points: 24203 More actions · Answer 9

Minnu (1/30/2014)
Physical size of my actual backup is showing :500 MB

Is this a native compressed backup? Backups have no bearing on the size of a snapshot. They are completely different.

Minnu (1/30/2014)
Physical size of my snapshot is showing : 4 GB.

How large is the actual database? A snapshot of a DB uses sparse files which could have you confused over the actual size on disk.