Tail Log Backups

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Tail Log Backups

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Ron McCullough SSC Guru Points: 63877 More actions · Answer 1

Revenant (1/13/2012)
SQLRNNR (1/13/2012)
Cliff Jones (1/13/2012)
The word 'Always' should have made me think twice, but alas I only thought once.
That is the key word that made me rethink.
+1

+1

If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

Ron

Please help us, help you -before posting a question please read[/url]
Before posting a performance problem please read[/url]

spaghettidba SSC Guru Points: 105732 More actions · Answer 2

JAZZ Master (1/13/2012)
Went with the standard, nothing is "always" until proven otherwise.

I could smell the trick from miles, but I clicked on "Yes" to prove myself I'm just a paranoid. 😀

Well... I'm not!

-- Gianluca Sartori

Britt Cluff SSCertifiable Points: 5083 More actions · Answer 3

I had a 50/50 shot at it and missed 🙁

http://brittcluff.blogspot.com/

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 4

Gianluca Sartori (1/13/2012)
JAZZ Master (1/13/2012)
Went with the standard, nothing is "always" until proven otherwise.
I could smell the trick from miles, but I clicked on "Yes" to prove myself I'm just a paranoid. 😀
Well... I'm not!

But it's not a trick question. A tail log backup is defined as a log backup that either has NoRecovery OR no_truncate specified. NoRecovery if the database is online, no_truncate if it's offline, suspect, etc.

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

spaghettidba SSC Guru Points: 105732 More actions · Answer 5

No, in fact it's not a trick question at all, when you know the answer. 🙂

Believe it or not, I never had to take a tail log backup in ten years that I'm working with SQL Server. I know what it is and I even tried to take one as a proof of concept from my laptop (it worked, BTW). It is quite understandable that I don't master this subject.

Fortunately, QoTDs give us the chance to learn those things that we never could practice, and this is one of those for me.

Not knowing the anser, the "trick" could have been in the wording. That "always" was a red flag, and I decided to ignore it...

-- Gianluca Sartori

Andre Guerreiro SSCertifiable Points: 7319 More actions · Answer 6

My lack of experience with offline databases led me to the conclusion that the NORECOVERY option was always needed in tail log backup. But I should have known there was a catch somewhere.

41% wrong answers tell me that a lot of people has never tried that so at least I feel relieved for not knowing this one. 😀

Best regards,

Andre Guerreiro Neto

Database Analyst
http://www.softplan.com.br
MCITPx1/MCTSx2/MCSE/MCSA

tilew-948340 Hall of Fame Points: 3431 More actions · Answer 7

Michael Lysons (1/13/2012)
I've enjoyed these questions this week. For me, they're the perfect sort, as they are (generally) fairly easy to research and therefore learn something from.

+1

More please, I have so much to learn !

Thanks!

jts2013 Hall of Fame Points: 3226 More actions · Answer 8

Ouch - never thought to consider offline (all our databases are of course always online :-D)

Rob Schripsema SSCertifiable Points: 7469 More actions · Answer 9

Good question! Got me to review our procedures around emergency restores -- something we've never (yet!) had to do (thankfully!).

Rob Schripsema
Propack, Inc.

Koen Verbeeck SSC Guru Points: 259105 More actions · Answer 10

Nice question, learned something.

Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP

BudaCli Hall of Fame Points: 3404 More actions · Answer 11

didn't even hesitate. Nice and easy point

What you don't know won't hurt you but what you know will make you plan to know better