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Backup problem - log cant back up in time before next log back up

  • May 30, 2013 at 11:54 am

    #274377

    Hello

    Our SAN admin takes care of the SQL backups and is running into a problem and asked me for advice.

    He is doing a log backup every 3 hours.

    50 GB of changes are being recorded in the log within the 3 hours.

    The time it takes to back up is exceeding 3 hours causing the next log backup to fail.

    With the log backup failing, the log keeps growing and the drive gets full.

    I'm not sure what type of activity is being done or if it can be changed. What are the options to avoid this. Does the RPO need to be changed?

    Thanks

    Dave

  • May 30, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    #1619838

    What is he using to do those backups?

    With SQL Agent, if a job is still running at the time it would be scheduled to run again, it just doesn't start. It won't start and fail.

    RPO is a business thing, not something IT should change just because they can't meet the requirement. If business rule is that max 3 hours of data can be lost in the case of a disaster and you can't make that SLA, then you need to discuss that with business and make some alternate plan.

    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

  • May 30, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    #1619871

    He uses netbackup.

  • May 30, 2013 at 1:53 pm

    #1619880

    Are those file-based backups of the log or actual SQL log backups?

    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

  • May 30, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    #1619888

    Its a backup to tape - he is not stopping the db and copying a file - its the backup command for the t-log.

  • May 30, 2013 at 2:06 pm

    #1619895

    I'd suggest a backup to disk first, should be faster, then that file can be backed up to tape later. Worth testing to see if it gets you your 3 hour window.

    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

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