6.5 Standy Server - Is this ok? Some expert advice, please

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to mirroring production, but I have implented a schedule to backup the production DB from Server 1, followed by the Transaction Logs, and then subsequently Restore DB to Server 2, and applying transactions.
It appears to be working successfully. I am running the Log dumps every hour, and every hour at :15, restoring the Logs to Server 2. I have the two servers reading the same Dump Device, so I am trying to take care that they don't run into each other.
The log dump has INIT, b/c t-sql appears to only restore the FILE=1 by default. However, i can compensate by backing them up on Server 2 to another device.
Question: Must I also, have the following day's full backup restored to Server 2, before the transaction logs are restored? (Otherwise it would be out of sequence?).
I really, really, need some professional DBA/technical advice. Thank you much.

By doing the INIT on your transaction log backup on your production server, you have eliminated your ability to recover your production server to a point in time for the current day. If you had a failure after the second dump tran with init, you would have no choice but to restore to the full dump, because you just threw away the first transaction log dump.

There are ways to correct this. My solution has been to init the log with a dump tran with init in my database dump script right after the dump completes, and then have a scheduled task to run every hour or two hours so it does not interfere witht the dbdump process and the subsequent dump.

On your restore to standby, you will have to write some code to implement the file= parameter so that you pickup the correct dump. It can be done with a little testing.

Good luck.........Craig


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RSP at 6/21/00 2:21:23 PM

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to mirroring production, but I have implented a schedule to backup the production DB from Server 1, followed by the Transaction Logs, and then subsequently Restore DB to Server 2, and applying transactions.
It appears to be working successfully. I am running the Log dumps every hour, and every hour at :15, restoring the Logs to Server 2. I have the two servers reading the same Dump Device, so I am trying to take care that they don't run into each other.
The log dump has INIT, b/c t-sql appears to only restore the FILE=1 by default. However, i can compensate by backing them up on Server 2 to another device.
Question: Must I also, have the following day's full backup restored to Server 2, before the transaction logs are restored? (Otherwise it would be out of sequence?).
I really, really, need some professional DBA/technical advice. Thank you much.

Just to clarify, I was dump the full DB and the logs to separate devices. I suppose your method is to clean up the extraneous logs (once a day, when i dump the DB)?
What tables would i consider to create such a script? I would need to look into the systables? Also, if you could give me a few general pointers of the script you had in mind. - i.e. using a cursor, timestamp, etc.
Thanks, again for your help.
Regards --
RSP


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Craig at 6/21/00 2:35:54 PM

By doing the INIT on your transaction log backup on your production server, you have eliminated your ability to recover your production server to a point in time for the current day. If you had a failure after the second dump tran with init, you would have no choice but to restore to the full dump, because you just threw away the first transaction log dump.

There are ways to correct this. My solution has been to init the log with a dump tran with init in my database dump script right after the dump completes, and then have a scheduled task to run every hour or two hours so it does not interfere witht the dbdump process and the subsequent dump.

On your restore to standby, you will have to write some code to implement the file= parameter so that you pickup the correct dump. It can be done with a little testing.

Good luck.........Craig


------------
RSP at 6/21/00 2:21:23 PM

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to mirroring production, but I have implented a schedule to backup the production DB from Server 1, followed by the Transaction Logs, and then subsequently Restore DB to Server 2, and applying transactions.
It appears to be working successfully. I am running the Log dumps every hour, and every hour at :15, restoring the Logs to Server 2. I have the two servers reading the same Dump Device, so I am trying to take care that they don't run into each other.
The log dump has INIT, b/c t-sql appears to only restore the FILE=1 by default. However, i can compensate by backing them up on Server 2 to another device.
Question: Must I also, have the following day's full backup restored to Server 2, before the transaction logs are restored? (Otherwise it would be out of sequence?).
I really, really, need some professional DBA/technical advice. Thank you much.

You don't need to write any scripts, just use the init at the appropriate time. Your comment that you dump the database and the logs to a seperate device is not the issue, the issue is that if you init the transaction logs each time you cannot roll forward.

Review BOL and test your restore and roll forward on your production server ( or a copy) and make sure you are clear on what I am saying below. It will be worth your effort if your production server dies........


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RSP at 6/21/00 3:54:34 PM

Just to clarify, I was dump the full DB and the logs to separate devices. I suppose your method is to clean up the extraneous logs (once a day, when i dump the DB)?
What tables would i consider to create such a script? I would need to look into the systables? Also, if you could give me a few general pointers of the script you had in mind. - i.e. using a cursor, timestamp, etc.
Thanks, again for your help.
Regards --
RSP


------------
Craig at 6/21/00 2:35:54 PM

By doing the INIT on your transaction log backup on your production server, you have eliminated your ability to recover your production server to a point in time for the current day. If you had a failure after the second dump tran with init, you would have no choice but to restore to the full dump, because you just threw away the first transaction log dump.

There are ways to correct this. My solution has been to init the log with a dump tran with init in my database dump script right after the dump completes, and then have a scheduled task to run every hour or two hours so it does not interfere witht the dbdump process and the subsequent dump.

On your restore to standby, you will have to write some code to implement the file= parameter so that you pickup the correct dump. It can be done with a little testing.

Good luck.........Craig


------------
RSP at 6/21/00 2:21:23 PM

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to mirroring production, but I have implented a schedule to backup the production DB from Server 1, followed by the Transaction Logs, and then subsequently Restore DB to Server 2, and applying transactions.
It appears to be working successfully. I am running the Log dumps every hour, and every hour at :15, restoring the Logs to Server 2. I have the two servers reading the same Dump Device, so I am trying to take care that they don't run into each other.
The log dump has INIT, b/c t-sql appears to only restore the FILE=1 by default. However, i can compensate by backing them up on Server 2 to another device.
Question: Must I also, have the following day's full backup restored to Server 2, before the transaction logs are restored? (Otherwise it would be out of sequence?).
I really, really, need some professional DBA/technical advice. Thank you much.

Hi, again
I guess the issue that confused me is keeping all the tran. logs, and at the same time being able to restore it to Server 2 via t-sql using 'code'. I understand that i will not be able to roll forward if i init my transactions. How then can I specifically call the correct tran log. I hope i got it now. Thank you.
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Craig at 6/22/00 7:30:05 AM

You don't need to write any scripts, just use the init at the appropriate time. Your comment that you dump the database and the logs to a seperate device is not the issue, the issue is that if you init the transaction logs each time you cannot roll forward.

Review BOL and test your restore and roll forward on your production server ( or a copy) and make sure you are clear on what I am saying below. It will be worth your effort if your production server dies........


------------
RSP at 6/21/00 3:54:34 PM

Just to clarify, I was dump the full DB and the logs to separate devices. I suppose your method is to clean up the extraneous logs (once a day, when i dump the DB)?
What tables would i consider to create such a script? I would need to look into the systables? Also, if you could give me a few general pointers of the script you had in mind. - i.e. using a cursor, timestamp, etc.
Thanks, again for your help.
Regards --
RSP


------------
Craig at 6/21/00 2:35:54 PM

By doing the INIT on your transaction log backup on your production server, you have eliminated your ability to recover your production server to a point in time for the current day. If you had a failure after the second dump tran with init, you would have no choice but to restore to the full dump, because you just threw away the first transaction log dump.

There are ways to correct this. My solution has been to init the log with a dump tran with init in my database dump script right after the dump completes, and then have a scheduled task to run every hour or two hours so it does not interfere witht the dbdump process and the subsequent dump.

On your restore to standby, you will have to write some code to implement the file= parameter so that you pickup the correct dump. It can be done with a little testing.

Good luck.........Craig


------------
RSP at 6/21/00 2:21:23 PM

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to mirroring production, but I have implented a schedule to backup the production DB from Server 1, followed by the Transaction Logs, and then subsequently Restore DB to Server 2, and applying transactions.
It appears to be working successfully. I am running the Log dumps every hour, and every hour at :15, restoring the Logs to Server 2. I have the two servers reading the same Dump Device, so I am trying to take care that they don't run into each other.
The log dump has INIT, b/c t-sql appears to only restore the FILE=1 by default. However, i can compensate by backing them up on Server 2 to another device.
Question: Must I also, have the following day's full backup restored to Server 2, before the transaction logs are restored? (Otherwise it would be out of sequence?).
I really, really, need some professional DBA/technical advice. Thank you much.