Goodoldaddy's Blog

How to manage SQL Server transction logs growing beyond available drive space?

goodoldaddy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:26:55 +0000

This is a common problem that we encounter with SQL Server databases in full recovery model. Normally, the data and transaction log files are located on different physical drives to improve performance. Very often, the drive designated for transaction logs is not large enough to handle rapid transaction log growth due to various reasons. If unchecked, the transaction logs can grow to a point where the drive runs out of space resulting in a database becoming unavailable. Unless the transaction logs are not unmanageably large (orders of magnitude larger than the data file), this problem can be solved by the following simple steps. It is likely that sufficient drive space is not recovered in the first attempt. In this case, repeat steps 1 and 2 few iterations to reclaim the drive space.

In the following example, we are trying to reclaim the drive space for a user database called ClientActivityLog

(1) Backup the transaction logs to a suitable backup location. This step will make most of the active virtual log files inactive. The drive space from these inactive virtual log files can then be reclaimed in the next step

USE MASTER

BACKUP LOG ClientActivityLog TO DISK=’L:\DBBackup\ClientActivityLog.trn’ WITH INIT, STATS=10

(2) Shrink the transaction logs to reclaim the inactive virtual log files:

USE ClientActivityLog

DBCC SHRINKFILE(N’ClientActivityLog’, TRUNCATEONLY)

Very often, we see the transaction log reaching a size that will either take unacceptably long time to backup transaction logs or there is not enough temporary space for the database for attempting the log backups. In this case, we can use the following steps: (1) Truncate the log by changing the database recovery model to SIMPLE, (2) Shrink the truncated log file, and (3) Reset the database recovery model. One thing to keep in mind with this approach is that once we change the recovery model to simple recovery, we lose the ability to restore the database to a point-in-time or to a specific Log Sequence Number (LSN).

For example, we are trying to recover a user database called ClientActivityLog

USE ClientActivityLog
GO

ALTER DATABASE ClientActivityLog SET RECOVERY SIMPLE
GO

DBCC SHRINKFILE (ClientActivityLog_log, TRUNCATEONLY)
GO

ALTER DATABASE ClientActivityLog SET RECOVERY FULL
GO

I just found a good KB article directly related to this topic.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907511

Please feel free to comment and let me know if there is a better way to manage this problem or if there are some inaccuracies in this post.

– GoodOlDaddy

Simple t-sql script for checking integrity and full backups of SQL Server user databases

goodoldaddy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:27:24 +0000

I have decided to post some useful t-sql scripts for SQL Server databases as a part of my blog. Here is a start. A part of my present full-time job is to proactively manage about 50 SQL Server databases in failover clustering environment. I am relatively new to database administration. But I am developing lot of interest in database automation. I would like to invite any of my blog readers to participate actively through exchange of SQL Server database scripts that might be of some use to any one interested.

Here is a simple script to check the database integrity and then execute full backups of all user databases. I fully agree with you that this task can always be achieved using a specific Maintenance Plan with these two steps. Usually, our full maintenance plans include rebuilding indexes in addition to the above steps and it usually takes lot longer to complete. Also I like simple scripts to just do what you like. Here is my script which just includes the user databases (db_id > 4) to a backup location (our full and translog backups are normally located in L:\DBBackup folder). I am using the undocumented system stored procedure sp_MSforeachdb. Let me know if you find this useful. Really appreciate your comments and ideas…

Thanks,

GoodOlDaddy

/* PR — Check DB consistency and then execute a full backup for all user databases */
USE master
GO

DECLARE @RETURN_VALUE int
DECLARE @command1 NVARCHAR(2000)
DECLARE @command2 NVARCHAR(2000)
DECLARE @tNowStr VARCHAR(64)
SET @tNowStr = REPLACE(CAST(GETDATE() AS VARCHAR(64)),’ ‘,’_')
SET @tNowStr = REPLACE(@tNowStr,’:',’_')
SET @command1 =
‘DECLARE @dbid int USE # SET @dbid = DB_ID(”#”) IF @dbid > 4 DBCC CHECKDB (@dbid) WITH NO_INFOMSGS’
SET @command2 =
‘DECLARE @dbid int USE # SET @dbid = DB_ID(”#”) IF @dbid > 4 BACKUP DATABASE # TO DISK=”L:DBBackup\’ + ‘#’ + ‘_’ + @tNowStr + ‘.BAK”’+ ‘ WITH INIT, STATS=10′
EXEC @RETURN_VALUE = sp_MSforeachdb @command1 = @command1, @replacechar=’#', @command2 = @command2

Some interesting stats on California state government budget

goodoldaddy — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:30:30 +0000

I googled and pulled these stats from two or three sources. It looks like California State budge is about 135 Billion dollars for 2009. This compares to California state GDP of 1.73 Trillions from 2007 statistics. So as a percentage, the government budget is less than 10% of the total GDP for the state. The state GDP apportionment amongst major sectors, California spends 10% for government, and 6% for health care and social assistance. This compares very favorably with states. For example, Kansas spends 14.3% for government, and 7% for health care and social assistance. Take a look at the second table for details. I am quite surprised to see that the red states like West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee have relatively much higher averages for government spending as percentage of GDP compared to California state.

As for the tax burden comparison with other states, California apparently has the 6th highest tax burden of the fifty states when measured as a percentage of GDP in 2008. This is another surprise considering the general belief that California has the heaviest tax burden.

Here are some details:

California Proposed Budget Detail

The following table presents budget year positions and expenditures for each agency area. These totals are comprised of State funds which include General Fund, special funds, and selected bond funds. These totals do not include federal funds, other non-governmental cost funds, or reimbursements.

State Agencies	2009-10
State Agencies	Positions	General Fund*	Special Funds*	Bond Funds*	Total State Funds*
K thru 12 Education	2,876.1	$39,720,811	$510,212	$505,423	$40,736,446
Higher Education	132,384.5	12,389,105	46,672	652,341	13,088,118
Health and Human Services	33,319.8	29,995,962	7,926,050	63,491	37,985,503
Corrections and Rehabilitation	62,706.3	9,615,169	241,620	1,646	9,858,435
Business, Transportation & Housing	44,541.9	2,335,467	5,695,212	3,932,604	11,963,283
Resources	17,621.1	1,921,585	2,154,903	1,539,890	5,616,378
Environmental Protection	4,955	79,266	1,188,096	263,988	1,531,350
State and Consumer Services	16,835.9	576,755	829,998	19,183	1,425,936
Labor and Workforce Development	12,113.8	104,383	347,609	-	451,992
General Government	14,340.2	-4,987,191	10,823,990	2,056	5,838,855
Legislative, Judicial, and Executive	16,988.4	3,772,252	2,252,787	242,743	6,267,782
TOTALS	358,683	$95,523,564	$32,017,149	$7,223,365	$134,764,078

* Dollars in thousands

Gross domestic product (GDP)

California is responsible for 13% of the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP). The state’s GDP is at about $1.7 trillion (as of 2006).

The GDP increased at an annual rate of 3.1% in the first quarter of 2005.^[13]

California’s gross state product

According to the California Department of Finance, California’s gross state product is $1.543 trillion.*^[14]

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, California’s gross state product is $1.727 trillion (2006 data, last updated Thursday, June 7, 2007).^[15]

According to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, “California’s gross state product is nearly $1.5 trillion…” (“Gross product in 2003″, released in 2004).^[16]

Tax burden

Starting in April 2009 there will be a new tax increase that is set to increase sales tax from 8.25% to 9%+.

In 2006 California’s overall tax burden of $10.66 per $100 of personal income was slightly above the $10.43 average for the United States.^[22] In 2008, when measured as a percentage of GDP, California had the 6th highest tax burden of the fifty states. ^[23]

Gross Domestic Product by
Sectors as a Percent of State GDP Total: 2007

Total GDP
GDP by Sector

State

Real Estate and Rental

Government

Manufacture

Insurance and Banking

Professional Services

Health Care and Social Assistance

 
West
  Alaska              7.3       17.5        2.2         2.8        3.5        5.2
  Arizona            15.3       12.1        7.9         8.4        6.2        7.2
  California         16.6       11.3        9.9         6.6        8.8        6.0
  Colorado           12.8       11.9        6.4         5.9        9.5        5.8
  Hawaii             17.7       22.9        1.8         4.0        4.6        6.6
  Idaho              12.5       13.5       10.3         4.7        7.5        7.1
  Kansas              8.6       14.3       15.1         5.6        5.3        7.0
  Missouri           10.0       12.1       13.3         5.9        6.5        7.8
  Montana            10.7       15.6        4.4         4.9        5.0        8.9
  Nebraska            8.7       13.7       11.3         8.4        4.6        7.2
  Nevada             15.3       10.1        4.4         7.3        5.1        4.9
  New Mexico         10.4       17.0        7.3         3.2        8.2        6.6
  North Dakota        8.1       15.0        9.5         5.7        3.3        8.6
  Oregon             13.0       12.2       19.1         5.2        5.0        7.6
  South Dakota        6.9       12.3        9.8        19.6        2.7        8.7
  Utah               11.3       13.1       11.3         9.4        6.2        5.5
  Washington         14.1       13.7       10.0         5.4        6.7        6.6
  Wyoming             7.5       13.3        3.3         2.4        2.9        4.0
Total                14.4       12.3        9.8         6.5        7.5        6.4
South
  Alabama             9.2       15.5       17.3         5.4        5.9        7.1
  Arkansas            8.9       13.5       17.8         4.0        3.8        7.7
  Dist. of Columbia  10.4       32.5        0.2         5.0       20.6        4.4
  Florida            17.1       11.6        5.0         7.1        6.6        7.4
  Georgia            11.8       13.1       11.0         6.5        6.7        6.0
  Kentucky            8.7       15.1       18.9         4.7        4.0        8.0
  Louisiana           7.4       10.3       23.0         3.1        3.9        5.4
  Mississippi         8.5       17.2       15.6         4.2        3.5        7.2
  North Carolina      9.4       12.9       18.6        12.7        4.9        6.2
  Oklahoma            8.5       15.7       11.1         4.2        4.2        6.7
  South Carolina     10.9       16.6       16.0         5.0        5.0        6.0
  Tennessee           9.7       11.0       16.1         5.8        5.6        8.9
  Texas               9.0       10.7       13.4         5.7        6.6        5.7
  Virginia           13.1       18.0        8.8         6.5       12.0        5.4
  West Virginia       9.0       17.6       11.1         4.0        3.9        9.5
Total                11.0       13.3       12.7         6.4        6.6    6.5
New England
  Connecticut        13.4        9.0       12.7        16.5        7.4        7.4
  Maine              13.3       14.3       11.0         6.6        4.8       11.0
  Massachusetts      13.9        8.8        9.9        10.6       11.3        9.2
  New Hampshire      13.7        9.4       11.1         8.1        7.0        9.0
  Rhode Island       15.1       12.4        9.6        12.1        5.3        9.3
  Vermont            12.3       13.7       11.5         5.9        5.9       10.0
Total                13.7        9.7       10.9        11.8        8.8        8.8
 
Mid-Atlantic
  Delaware           12.2        8.8        7.3        32.5        6.3        5.6
  Maryland           16.8       17.4        5.4         5.7       10.4        7.4
  New Jersey         16.6       10.3        8.8         8.3        9.0        7.2
  New York           14.3       10.0        6.0        17.9        8.4        7.2
  Pennsylvania       11.2        9.8       14.2         7.5        7.6        9.6
Total                14.3       10.8        8.3        12.8        8.5        7.7
 
Midwest
  Illinois           12.5        9.6       12.6         9.5        8.7        6.7
  Indiana             9.7        9.9       25.4         5.4        4.2        7.6
  Iowa                8.3       11.6       20.2        10.7        3.2        6.7
  Michigan           11.7       11.3       16.9         6.1        8.1        8.1
  Minnesota          12.0       10.3       13.3         9.4        6.3        8.4
  Ohio               10.6       11.1       18.2         8.1        5.8        8.2
  Wisconsin          11.8       10.9       20.6         6.9        4.5        8.5
Total                11.3       10.5       17.1         8.0        6.6        7.7

The World Factbook

According to The World Factbook published by theCIA, if California were an independent state, it would have had the tenth largest economy in the worldin 2007.^[18]

The rankings are:

1. United States

2. China

3. Japan

4. India

5. Germany

6. United Kingdom

7. Russia

8. France

9. Brazil

10. Italy

11. Spain

12. Mexico

13. Canada

14. South Korea

Frustration about Treasury indecision

goodoldaddy — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:34:21 +0000

I realize how worried people have been about Tim Geithner’s indecision and confidence. My retirement savings have been evaporating before my own eyes. My google search is coming up with irate opinions from both left and right. I am not exactly sure the reason for righteous anger from right after endorsing the financial collapse over the last 10 years or so. And I don’t care much for the opinions from the right. But I am trying to follow the folks on the left showing frustration and anger.

Do we have an unravelling financial disaster without passionate intervention? Is Obama getting insulated in a bubble of his own and just does not read the pulse of the people? But I realize he has been in power for only 6 weeks … But he ought to quickly realize his current economic team is not up to the task.

So I googled: Should Obama fire Tim Geithner and his other economic team? Here is some frustration from the the left.

Obama Must Fire Geithner and Summers

Larry Summers: Fox Guarding The Henhouse

Not sure where we are heading with this indecisive team handling this huge financial fiasco.

Feel free to channel your concerns. I wish Obama was listening to some of this frustration.

Goodoldaddy

P.S: May be I am getting too pessimistic too quickly. I just found this Time article very hopeful. This outlook should temper the anxiety of all of us. May be we are hyperventillating. Read this article.

Call Me Mr. Sunshine

Obama’s presidency: Stimulus and Bailout

goodoldaddy — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:05:27 +0000

This is from my email to my good friend: Tuesday 02/10/2009

I read this Salon.com article by Gary Kamiya titled Obama’s Reagan Problem

http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/2009/02/10/obama_reagan/index.html

This is a really good expose on Obama’s fascination with centrism. This may very well be his Achilles heel unless he learns quickly … Kamiya brings up Obama’s campign theme: there is not a red america, there is not a blue america, there is a ………………………..

Some of Obama’s confidants should arrange for tutorials by folks like Paul Krugman, Gary Kamia at the White House. Obama should get the right perspective.

At least for today, Geithener with all his market pleasing talk could not comfort the free market forces. It is just like Obama was trying to please the GOP gang and drawing a blank with them. I am even hearing that Geithener displeased lot of Obama folks with his go-easy policy in dealing with financial executives and nationalization proposals. One article in Salon even mentioned that Geithener has displeased lot of Obama folks and that Geithener may not survive for too long in the cabinet … which is actually better news than the all the bad news I heard today. The market really went down today. Let us see how many more favors will ever please the market. This is the problem with trying to please the wrong crowd. Now every one is pissed. Jim Lehrer news hour had brought in Alice Rivlin, Paul Krugman and two other economists. Only Alice Rivlin thought that Geithener’s proposals were comprehensive. Paul Krugman did not seem to be pleased at all. He said the proposals were vague and confusing. Got to see but Geithener seems to be unravelling.

I am trying to coin an alias for free market … free-falling market :–)

Kamiya is converging on many of the themes that we were talking during our walks. You are so right. I am not sure why nobody in Obama’s confidants ever thought of Paul Krugman’s name for Treasury or Council of economic advisors, or Council of economic recovery, or myriad other advisory boards that Obama has appointed. This is after Krugman won the nobel prize. Just cannot understand. They have managed to get all the ivy leaguers from Harvard and Columbia. It is not like he knows nobody from Princeton. He has several Princeton connections including Michelle Obama herself. I will try again to send my question to whitehouse.gov: Why not Paul Krugman? Why Why ….? Who knows I just might get lucky. I am not asking for much.

Goodoldaddy

Obama’s fledgling presidency: Stimulus and Bailout

goodoldaddy — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 02:36:08 +0000

The following article is pretty interesting. Several GOP senators still think that Uncle Sam should give away the hard-earned tax payer’s money to bailout the fat cats with no strings attached. What a sweet deal! These preeminent GOP senators are obviously agonizing over these pay limits on their wealthy patrons. Read these articles and spread the word around if you like.

GOP Opposes Pay Limits On Bailed-Out Bankers

GOP quietly opposing executive pay limits

It is interesting to note that the so many in GOP, after eight years of profligacy and insane budget deficits, are suddenly worried about budget deficits. Here come our new deficit hawks out of the blue. Where were these guys? What were they doing for eight long years? They have a new battle cry: crusade against pork and wasteful spending. It all sounds so cliche. As per AP wire article, McCain: Democrats no more bipartisan than GOP, John McCain is said to be “critical of Democrats for building up a national debt that is going to hamper the economy in the future and require the next generation to pay it down”. Hypocrisy, thy name is …..!

My other favorite articles for this week:

(1) As always, Frank Rich has an excellent article talking about double standards sparing neither democrats nor what he calls the neo-Hoover Republicans:

Slumdogs Unite!

(2) Maureen Dowd’s NYTimes article Potomac’s Postpartisan Depression

What struck me in this article was that Obama team couldn’t even get its pick for commerce secretary, the Republican Senator Judd Gregg, to vote for the stimulus bill. Apparently, Mr. Judd Gregg would rather abstain. I cannot understand why a conservative idealog like Judd Gregg is the choice for this position in the first place. This sounds like irrational bipartisanship.

(3) If you get a chance, do read this detailed essay from Glenn Greenwald to dispel Robert Kagan’s misrepresentation of Obama’s defense budget projections.

The “defense cut” falsehood from The Washington Post and Robert Kagan

(4) Paul Krugman’s 02/07/2009 blog: What the centrists have wrought

Krugman is reasoning that the Senate stimulus version (~$820 billion) is way smaller relative to the projected GDP shortfall of $2 trillion over the next two years and that the spending trimmed in this version is really essential for job creation. Unfortunately, our Senators do not listen to reason even when it comes from a Nobel Laureate.

Dad’s Journal for the week (02/02/2009)

goodoldaddy — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:28:52 +0000

I am so proud that my older daughter is doing some long term thinking at such a young age (23). My baby is growing up. She is tired of losing money on renting. She wants to buy a small studio in either Brooklyn or Queens with reasonable commute time to Wall Street. I have some general questions for my audience. She has saved up $25K for down payment. She does not want to share here studio. Is this an opportune time to buy an affordable studio where she lives? She is looking to find a small studio. Living in Dallas, obviously I don’t know much about NYC real estate. Some obvious things she is looking for: (i) being close to subway station, (ii) she can only afford monthly payments < $2000, (iii) 30 year fixed rate, (iv) safe neighborhood. Any ideas and suggestions on timing, long term prospects for equity buildup in Queens or Brooklyn. She currently pays about $1400 for a studio in Upper east. She loves the neighborhood but she wants her own place and does not want to keep renting. Sincerely appreciate if you could post any suggestions, general thoughts, cautions considering the current economic conditions. I am on a steep learning curve on NYC real estate. I want to give her good advice on this matter.

About my younger daughter. My younger daughter is a tech writer and works for a small telecom company in Dallas. She also works part-time for a web startup doing visual design, UI mockups, and layouts. She is looking to get a full-time job in visual design and writing for on-line community and social networking sites. She is willing to relocate. Appreciate some thoughts and suggestions on how the job market is for visual design and on-line community and social networking in the current slumping job market.

Obama’s fledgling presidency

goodoldaddy — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:05:26 +0000

This is my weekly blog#2 (Week of 2009/02/01) to keep track of the fledgling Obama presidency.

Considering what an enthusiastic supporter I have been of Obama, I am disappointed that the new administration is sticking by Daschle. I used to think highly of Tom Daschle until recently. I have been following a number of on-line articles in WaPo, Salon.com, etc. I am beginning to admire Glenn Greenwald for his passionate views. I hope lot of folks write to the white house (change.gov or whitehouse.gov) showing strong disapproval on this matter. I strongly feel Obama should dump Daschle right away. I know it is an embarassment to acknowledge this faux pas for Obama to drop Daschle but who cares. Over this week, I have seen some really positive signs but I am also seeing signs of how the White house and Washington establishment can cloud the judgement of even the most well minded leaders.

Daschle Delayed Revealing Tax Glitch (Ceci Connolly, et al)

The Daschles: feeding at the Beltway trough (Glenn Greenwald)

I reluctantly accepted the tax arrears of Geithener since the mistakes did not look too egregious. But I am not at all happy with the exception they are seeking to the newly constituted ethics guidelines to get William Lynn into the deputy secretary of defense. I think they should dump William Lynn as well to give a consistent message. It is hard to build ones credibility but it is so easy to lose all of it with mistakes like this.

William Lynn, Obama’s First Ethics Exception, Causing Massive Headaches

Hope Obama does not get sucked into the establishment “bubble”

But this does not take away any thing from some of the great policy moves that he is making that makes me so happy that I voted for him. If you ask me, Obama is showing great strength when he is true to his liberal policy positions and not very effective when he seems to make moves to please the right. Look what happened to the stimulus bill in the house. He tried his charm offense only to draw a blank from the republicans.

OBAMA AL-ARABIYA INTERVIEW: FULL TEXT : This is such a refreshing change from the Bush world view. This was really long overdue. Also see a nice Glenn Greenwald’s article: Increasing even-handedness in the Middle East

Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation This nytimes article talks about Lilly Ledbetter Fair Play act. It is such great symbolism. Being a good old daddy of two career-oriented, ambitious daughters, this is great stuff.

The politics of the right is baffling me. Not a single republican voted for the stimulus bill in the house. Is not the right burying their head in the proverbial sand at this crucial juncture? How can the right be oblivious to the fact that the same policies that they are proposing now (more business tax cuts and deregulation) were implemented for eight long years and have resulted in the current collapse. It is political amnesia. The right should be responsible and own up to the mess they have created. You can see this great article (as always) from Frank Rich: Herbert Hoover Lives which captures this picture really well.

Hope to hear from you whether you agree with me or disagree with me. See you next week.

GoodOldaddy

My very first blog

goodoldaddy — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:12:25 +0000

This is my very first blog. So you got to be patient with me. My younger daughter has started blogging with wordpress. It is her encouragement that got me into blogging. Where do I start?

I am so happy when I get a call from my daughter who lives in Manhattan. She loves running. She has not been able to run for the last 2 weeks due to knee pain. The problem is she is not used to warm ups before her runs. I am advising her that warm-ups will make a huge difference. I am also asking her to change her running shoes more frequently (every 4 months) as she runs quite a lot. I have been an avid jogger for over 25 years but stopped running recently because my knees stopped cooperating with me. I really miss my running but cannot do much. I would like my daughters to enjoy the fruits of running lot longer than I.

My older daughter is a software analyst and loves her life in NYC. But it seems living alone in Manhattan can be daunting. It is not easy for young people to make friends outside their work place. Rest of this topic in a subsequent blog.

Now for political events unfolding …

I am really impressed about the personality of our new president. I was reading this nice AP article today: Obama breaks from Bush, avoids divisive stands by Liz Sidoti, AP. This is a good read.

http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/2009/01/24/D95TJ9KO0_obama_first_week/index.html

Here is a small segment of the article that caught my attention.

“In one Oval Office ceremony, Obama went through each executive order as he signed them, reading parts of each and methodically explaining them. He even halted a few times to ask for clarifying details from his White House counsel. That sort of deferral to someone else in a public setting and admission of a less-than-perfect command of the facts was never Bush’s style”

Considering how new he is to his job, this is incredible. I cannot recall another president explaining executive orders as he signs them. I know it is a long hard road ahead but he is so reassuring with his calm attitude. I want to follow closely how he handles the crises as he grows into the job.