SQL Server 2000 | Transactional Replication
Suspected Problem: Distribution Database Transaction Log Not Checkpointing
I have a distributor with a distribution database that keeps growing and growing (About 40 GB in 7 days). The database is using the SIMPLE recovery model but the log continues to accumulate data. I have spent time looking at articles such as: "Factors that keep log records alive" (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345414.aspx) and the one thing that stands out is the Checkpoint. I noticed that I can run a manual checkpoint and clear the log. If the log records were still active, the checkpoint would not allow the log to be truncated. This leads me to believe that the server is not properly initiating checkpoints in the Distribution database even though Recovery Model = SIMPLE and the server Recovery Interval = 0.
I found this: "FIX: Automatic checkpoints on some SQL Server 2000 databases do not run as expected" (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909369/en-us) but I suspect this is a followup to a problem that may have been introduced with SP4 (since SP4 is a requirement for the hotfix). I am running SP3a (Microsoft SQL Server 2000 - 8.00.850) so I don't think that is the issue. I have several other nearly identical servers with the same version and configuration that have properly maintained log files.
SP4 is not a good option for me at this point - the next upgrade will be to SQL 2K5.
Any thoughts?
Jeff
I solved my own problem. The log file growth had nothing to do with it being the Distribution database. I stumbled upon a trace flag entry in the SQL Startup Parameters "-T3608" which is required to move certain system databases like Model (See article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/224071/). The flag has been there for several months and was probably added the last time the server was rebuilt or storage was added. I removed the trace flag and checkpoints started occuring normally.
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