Michael Epprecht [MSFT] wrote:
> Hi
>
> If you are only backing up the transaction log once a week, why do it? You
> should either do it on a very regular basis (hourly or less), or set the
> database recovery mode to 'Simple' and then you don't need to worry about
> it.
>
> Transaction log backups give you point in time recovery, but as you don't
> back it up frequently, you loose out on it in case of a disaster.
>
> The question you have to ask your self. "Can you loose all the data that
> changed in the DB since the last full backup? If no, then implement very
> frequent log backups. If yes, then go the 'simple' recovery route."
>
> Books online has a lot of information on database recovery.
>
> Regards

"tednov" <666@booger.net> wrote in message
news:%23WnSmm7jGHA.3420@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Greetings
>
> I have a SQL server that is used as a backup type of device. The server
> is only accessed by other servers(exchange, docsopen, anti spam etc.), not
> by the end users.
>
> The typical full transaction log/low disk space errors are now becoming
> more of a burden. I have a very basic weekly maintenance schedule that I
> do which includes backing up the logs and shrinking the db. However I do
> have one very large(60+ gig) Exchange SQL db. That particular log is
> hovering around 35 gig and is danger of filling up the drive. However I
> do not have a enough space to perform the backup of that log.
>
> Short of hooking up a usb hd to the server what other avenues do I have?
> I'm real tempted to delete the log(but not the db) and start from scratch
> but I'd like to verify here first before doing so.
>
> Ted Novak
> TRA#5512
> IEAS#75

tednov wrote:
> Michael Epprecht [MSFT] wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> If you are only backing up the transaction log once a week, why do it?
>> You should either do it on a very regular basis (hourly or less), or
>> set the database recovery mode to 'Simple' and then you don't need to
>> worry about it.
>>
>> Transaction log backups give you point in time recovery, but as you
>> don't back it up frequently, you loose out on it in case of a disaster.
>>
>> The question you have to ask your self. "Can you loose all the data
>> that changed in the DB since the last full backup? If no, then
>> implement very frequent log backups. If yes, then go the 'simple'
>> recovery route."
>>
>> Books online has a lot of information on database recovery.
>>
>> Regards
>
>
> Thank you for responding. Shoot, maybe I should have explained this a
> bit better. I also should have explained that I'm a complete newbie to
> SQL.
>
> The SQL server does get a nightly backup to tape but I was referring to
> going into the SQL admin and using that to perform a backup of the
> transaction logs. I thought in order for me to properly shrink the db I
> have to backup the transaction log first?
>
> Ted Novak
> TRA#5512
> IEAS#75