Shrink database

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Shrink database

Zeal-DBA

SSCarpal Tunnel

Points: 4332
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October 14, 2010 at 10:00 am

#141009

hello experts,
how can i know before shrinking the maximum size which can be relaeased by shrinking a database.
thanks in advance

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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

Why do you want to shrink? Databases tend to grow as more data gets put in them. It's in their nature.

Shrinking causes massive fragmentation and will just result in the data file growing again next time data gets added. When that happens, the entire system will slow down as the file is expanded. Also repeated shrinks and grows will cause fragmentation at the file-system level, which is hard to fix.

See - http://sqlinthewild.co.za/index.php/2007/09/08/shrinking-databases/

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

Zeal-DBA SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4332 More actions · Answer 2

ya but the things is, we dont have much space in disk, we have around 600 databases in our UAT server, so for getting space m trying to remove older backups, thinking to shrink databases, right now we dont have approval for adding extra disk space so i have been told to do management for the space of disk even i need to shrink DBs or delete older DBs, so is there any way for the same what asked before and to know also which databases are useless or not in use so that i can delete them from our UAT server.

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

Use sp_spaceused

As for unused databases, no easy way.

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

Oliiii SSCertifiable Points: 5328 More actions · Answer 4

To find out if a DB is not used anymore set it offline and wait for someone to complain 🙂

If noone complains, then you have one less DB to worry about.

Seriously though, one way to know if a DB is not in use is to take a trace (only audit login/logout) and see if there is any login activity other than the maintenance jobs.

Let it run a few days to be sure (week-end included) then if there are no activity do a full backup, zip it, archive it and drop the DB after leaving it offline for some time.