specified network name is no longer available

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specified network name is no longer available

dbagrant

Mr or Mrs. 500

Points: 533
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June 5, 2003 at 7:51 am

#151854

I am trying to backup a database across the network. I am using sql similar to the following:
BACKUP DATABASE mydb TO DISK = '\\server\D$\backup\mydb.bak' WITH INIT.
My sql service account is an administrative account with all necessary privilages.
I backed this database up successfully across the network this morning. As soon as it finished, I tried to back it up again (testing something), and the backup failed with the message "I/O error 64(The specified network name is no longer available.)" I now get this message every time I try to back it up.
Can anyone tell me why this would happen?

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

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Allen Cui-55137 SSC Guru Points: 51650 More actions · Answer 1

I have seen share c$, D$ or whatever disappear sometime. To comfirm it, Go to start --> run --> type \\servername\d$ to see whether you can go into the directory. If you can't, you have to recreate the share in your sever.

Or you could experience network interruption at that time.

Edited by - Allen_Cui on 06/05/2003 09:30:05 AM

dbagrant Mr or Mrs. 500 Points: 533 More actions · Answer 2

I can see the share from Start/Run.

Let me provide a little more of the story that has unfolded since my first post.

I have a database located on a server across the network (which is allowed when using trace flag 1807. The path is a UNC path.) This database has been working fine for a couple of weeks, but this morning the path to it also was "no longer available." Also this morning, EM keeps losing connection to the server (from the server console.) If I try to view a table in design view, I get an ODBC error of "Communication Link Failure."

As you can see, I am having lots of trouble. I detached the database across the network and I have stopped getting the server disconnections and the ODBC errors in design view.

Maybe SQL Server is not designed to do anything across a network? If anyone has had any experience with this or can shed some light on why this is happening, I would be most appreciative.

Allen Cui-55137 SSC Guru Points: 51650 More actions · Answer 3

This KB should answer your question.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304261

dbagrant Mr or Mrs. 500 Points: 533 More actions · Answer 4

That article seems to address storing databases across the network, but why would backups across the network fail? I have detached the database that was stored across the network and the backups (of databases stored on the local drive) still fail. Should I back up the databases to the local drive?

Allen Cui-55137 SSC Guru Points: 51650 More actions · Answer 5

quote:
why would backups across the network fail?

It is possible that you have an unstable network during the backup.

quote:
Should I back up the databases to the local drive?

If you have sufficient spaces in local drives, backup to the local drives is much fast and don't have to worry about network issues.

dbagrant Mr or Mrs. 500 Points: 533 More actions · Answer 6

I can't prove that the network is unstable, but that is what I am trying to hint at. What I need to know is, under normal circumstances, would SQL backups fail across a network from one Win2K box to another with a Gigabit NIC connection? Is this probably a SQL issue or a network issue?

Allen Cui-55137 SSC Guru Points: 51650 More actions · Answer 7

We have done many times backups/restoration accros the network from SQL Server to another machine with only few time failure. The database size is from few GB to 500 GB. It is definitely not SQL Server issue.