Large Transaction Logs

I have some databases that are keeping log files (.ldf) that are 3 times the
size of the db and very large. What is the best way to shrink the size of
these .ldf files? I have made backups of the db's and transaction logs
using SQL database maintenance (as some have suggested), but this does not
shrink the .ldf files. What else can I do?
--
Brandon
Presentations Direct - "Document Finishing Solutions"
http://www.presentationsdirect.comBrandon,
Backing up a transaction log will clear it but not shrink it. Use DBCC
SHRINKFILE on the t-log. Tibor has some more info here:
http://www.karaszi.com/SQLServer/info_dont_shrink.asp
HTH
Jerry
"Brandon" <bsmith@.presentationsdirect.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:eO5MHFOgGHA.1320@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>I have some databases that are keeping log files (.ldf) that are 3 times
>the size of the db and very large. What is the best way to shrink the size
>of these .ldf files? I have made backups of the db's and transaction logs
>using SQL database maintenance (as some have suggested), but this does not
>shrink the .ldf files. What else can I do?
> --
> Brandon
> Presentations Direct - "Document Finishing Solutions"
> http://www.presentationsdirect.com
>|||You might want to investigate what is or has inflated them.
Reindexing, bulk loads of data, replication, etc, can all grow your
logs and there are ways of addressing each.|||Logs can get "locked" if something is hitting them. Example: I have an
Indexdefrag job that fills up a log. I have to stop the job before I can
shrink it. (I am using Simple recovery mode on this database.) You may want
to use View/Textpad to see if the log is filled with active or not. If
you're in full mode, after you backup the log, you should see the empty space
increase and the active space decrease.
"Brandon" wrote:
> I have some databases that are keeping log files (.ldf) that are 3 times the
> size of the db and very large. What is the best way to shrink the size of
> these .ldf files? I have made backups of the db's and transaction logs
> using SQL database maintenance (as some have suggested), but this does not
> shrink the .ldf files. What else can I do?
> --
> Brandon
> Presentations Direct - "Document Finishing Solutions"
> http://www.presentationsdirect.com
>
>|||Specific to Transaction logs, here are a few articles you might like to
look at:
INF: Transaction Log Grows Unexpectedly or Becomes Full on SQL Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=317375
INF: Shrinking the Transaction Log in SQL Server 2000 with DBCC SHRINKFILE
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;272318
INF: How to Shrink the SQL Server 7.0 Transaction Log
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;256650
INF: Considerations for Autogrow and Autoshrink Configuration
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315512
INF: Incomplete Transaction May Hold Large Number of Locks and Cause
Blocking
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;295108
Taking a backup of the log will not shrink the size of log , also its
important to consider the recovery model of the database. Consider using
DBCC SHRINKFILE.
Hope This Helps
Vishal Gandhi