Locked files during backups on a cluster

Hello,
I am running an active-active cluster on SQL 2000 SP3a over a Windows 2003
Enterprise server. We have two production instances running (SQL1 and SQL2).
Each was setup on a different node originally. When the two instances are
running on the same node, the instance that was not setup on that node
experiences locked files and failed backups.
Here is an example:
SQL1 was setup on Node1 and SQL2 was setup on Node2. When SQL1 and SQL2 are
both running on Node1, our backup job fails because it sees that a couple of
the database backup files are locked. Even after I clear the locks and re-ru
n
the backup script, the job still fails for the same reason. Now when I run
the same job when SQL2 is back on Node2, the job completes successfully. Not
all of the database backups fail, just the ones that are over 2Gb.
Has anyone experienced this or heard about this before? I've checked posting
s
here as well as TechNet, but haven't found anything.
Thanks for your assistance.
Michael
Message posted via droptable.com
http://www.droptable.com/Uwe/Forum...server/200609/1> both running on Node1, our backup job fails
By 'our backup job', I assume you meant the SQL Server database backup job.
The problem should not have anything to do with how the two instances were
originally set up. Nor should it necessarily have anything to do with the
fact that the two instances were running on the same node. It was a
coincident that it did happen when the two instances were running on the sam
e
node.
To resolve the problem, you need to first determine what process(es) or
programs are locking the backup files. My hunch is that they are most likely
locked either by an anti-virus program or a network file backup job. In othe
r
words, the anti-virus or the network file backup job happened to collide wit
h
the database backup on this particular node.
One way to be sure about what is locking the backup file is to add another
step immediately before the SQL Server backup to dump out all the NT handles
or just the handles on the backup file. You can use the sysinternals tool
handle.exe for this purpose.
Linchi
"michaelg via droptable.com" wrote:

> Hello,
> I am running an active-active cluster on SQL 2000 SP3a over a Windows 2003
> Enterprise server. We have two production instances running (SQL1 and SQL2
).
> Each was setup on a different node originally. When the two instances are
> running on the same node, the instance that was not setup on that node
> experiences locked files and failed backups.
> Here is an example:
> SQL1 was setup on Node1 and SQL2 was setup on Node2. When SQL1 and SQL2 ar
e
> both running on Node1, our backup job fails because it sees that a couple
of
> the database backup files are locked. Even after I clear the locks and re-
run
> the backup script, the job still fails for the same reason. Now when I run
> the same job when SQL2 is back on Node2, the job completes successfully. N
ot
> all of the database backups fail, just the ones that are over 2Gb.
> Has anyone experienced this or heard about this before? I've checked posti
ngs
> here as well as TechNet, but haven't found anything.
> Thanks for your assistance.
> Michael
> --
> Message posted via droptable.com
> http://www.droptable.com/Uwe/Forum...server/200609/1
>|||Yes, I meant the SQL Server database backup jobs.
This is not a one-time event. No matter what time I run the database backup
job on Node1, the job fails. This makes me think that it is not a tape backu
p
or any scheduled event. When I moved back to Node2 this morning, the job ran
fine multiple times.
I am not familiar with the handle.exe. Is this a 3rd party tool or is it
included in Microsoft?
Thanks!
Linchi Shea wrote:[vbcol=seagreen]
>By 'our backup job', I assume you meant the SQL Server database backup job.
>The problem should not have anything to do with how the two instances were
>originally set up. Nor should it necessarily have anything to do with the
>fact that the two instances were running on the same node. It was a
>coincident that it did happen when the two instances were running on the sa
me
>node.
>To resolve the problem, you need to first determine what process(es) or
>programs are locking the backup files. My hunch is that they are most likel
y
>locked either by an anti-virus program or a network file backup job. In oth
er
>words, the anti-virus or the network file backup job happened to collide wi
th
>the database backup on this particular node.
>One way to be sure about what is locking the backup file is to add another
>step immediately before the SQL Server backup to dump out all the NT handle
s
>or just the handles on the backup file. You can use the sysinternals tool
>handle.exe for this purpose.
>Linchi
>
>[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
Message posted via http://www.droptable.com|||This is a sysinternals tool available from www.sysinternals.com.
Linchi
"michaelg via droptable.com" wrote:

> Yes, I meant the SQL Server database backup jobs.
> This is not a one-time event. No matter what time I run the database backu
p
> job on Node1, the job fails. This makes me think that it is not a tape bac
kup
> or any scheduled event. When I moved back to Node2 this morning, the job r
an
> fine multiple times.
> I am not familiar with the handle.exe. Is this a 3rd party tool or is it
> included in Microsoft?
> Thanks!
> Linchi Shea wrote:
> --
> Message posted via http://www.droptable.com
>

Locked files during backups on a cluster

Hello,
I am running an active-active cluster on SQL 2000 SP3a over a Windows 2003
Enterprise server. We have two production instances running (SQL1 and SQL2).
Each was setup on a different node originally. When the two instances are
running on the same node, the instance that was not setup on that node
experiences locked files and failed backups.
Here is an example:
SQL1 was setup on Node1 and SQL2 was setup on Node2. When SQL1 and SQL2 are
both running on Node1, our backup job fails because it sees that a couple of
the database backup files are locked. Even after I clear the locks and re-run
the backup script, the job still fails for the same reason. Now when I run
the same job when SQL2 is back on Node2, the job completes successfully. Not
all of the database backups fail, just the ones that are over 2Gb.
Has anyone experienced this or heard about this before? I've checked postings
here as well as TechNet, but haven't found anything.
Thanks for your assistance.
Michael
--
Message posted via SQLMonster.com
http://www.sqlmonster.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/sql-server/200609/1> both running on Node1, our backup job fails
By 'our backup job', I assume you meant the SQL Server database backup job.
The problem should not have anything to do with how the two instances were
originally set up. Nor should it necessarily have anything to do with the
fact that the two instances were running on the same node. It was a
coincident that it did happen when the two instances were running on the same
node.
To resolve the problem, you need to first determine what process(es) or
programs are locking the backup files. My hunch is that they are most likely
locked either by an anti-virus program or a network file backup job. In other
words, the anti-virus or the network file backup job happened to collide with
the database backup on this particular node.
One way to be sure about what is locking the backup file is to add another
step immediately before the SQL Server backup to dump out all the NT handles
or just the handles on the backup file. You can use the sysinternals tool
handle.exe for this purpose.
Linchi
"michaelg via SQLMonster.com" wrote:
> Hello,
> I am running an active-active cluster on SQL 2000 SP3a over a Windows 2003
> Enterprise server. We have two production instances running (SQL1 and SQL2).
> Each was setup on a different node originally. When the two instances are
> running on the same node, the instance that was not setup on that node
> experiences locked files and failed backups.
> Here is an example:
> SQL1 was setup on Node1 and SQL2 was setup on Node2. When SQL1 and SQL2 are
> both running on Node1, our backup job fails because it sees that a couple of
> the database backup files are locked. Even after I clear the locks and re-run
> the backup script, the job still fails for the same reason. Now when I run
> the same job when SQL2 is back on Node2, the job completes successfully. Not
> all of the database backups fail, just the ones that are over 2Gb.
> Has anyone experienced this or heard about this before? I've checked postings
> here as well as TechNet, but haven't found anything.
> Thanks for your assistance.
> Michael
> --
> Message posted via SQLMonster.com
> http://www.sqlmonster.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/sql-server/200609/1
>|||Yes, I meant the SQL Server database backup jobs.
This is not a one-time event. No matter what time I run the database backup
job on Node1, the job fails. This makes me think that it is not a tape backup
or any scheduled event. When I moved back to Node2 this morning, the job ran
fine multiple times.
I am not familiar with the handle.exe. Is this a 3rd party tool or is it
included in Microsoft?
Thanks!
Linchi Shea wrote:
>> both running on Node1, our backup job fails
>By 'our backup job', I assume you meant the SQL Server database backup job.
>The problem should not have anything to do with how the two instances were
>originally set up. Nor should it necessarily have anything to do with the
>fact that the two instances were running on the same node. It was a
>coincident that it did happen when the two instances were running on the same
>node.
>To resolve the problem, you need to first determine what process(es) or
>programs are locking the backup files. My hunch is that they are most likely
>locked either by an anti-virus program or a network file backup job. In other
>words, the anti-virus or the network file backup job happened to collide with
>the database backup on this particular node.
>One way to be sure about what is locking the backup file is to add another
>step immediately before the SQL Server backup to dump out all the NT handles
>or just the handles on the backup file. You can use the sysinternals tool
>handle.exe for this purpose.
>Linchi
>> Hello,
>[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>> Thanks for your assistance.
>> Michael
--
Message posted via http://www.sqlmonster.com|||This is a sysinternals tool available from www.sysinternals.com.
Linchi
"michaelg via SQLMonster.com" wrote:
> Yes, I meant the SQL Server database backup jobs.
> This is not a one-time event. No matter what time I run the database backup
> job on Node1, the job fails. This makes me think that it is not a tape backup
> or any scheduled event. When I moved back to Node2 this morning, the job ran
> fine multiple times.
> I am not familiar with the handle.exe. Is this a 3rd party tool or is it
> included in Microsoft?
> Thanks!
> Linchi Shea wrote:
> >> both running on Node1, our backup job fails
> >
> >By 'our backup job', I assume you meant the SQL Server database backup job.
> >
> >The problem should not have anything to do with how the two instances were
> >originally set up. Nor should it necessarily have anything to do with the
> >fact that the two instances were running on the same node. It was a
> >coincident that it did happen when the two instances were running on the same
> >node.
> >
> >To resolve the problem, you need to first determine what process(es) or
> >programs are locking the backup files. My hunch is that they are most likely
> >locked either by an anti-virus program or a network file backup job. In other
> >words, the anti-virus or the network file backup job happened to collide with
> >the database backup on this particular node.
> >
> >One way to be sure about what is locking the backup file is to add another
> >step immediately before the SQL Server backup to dump out all the NT handles
> >or just the handles on the backup file. You can use the sysinternals tool
> >handle.exe for this purpose.
> >
> >Linchi
> >
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> >> Thanks for your assistance.
> >> Michael
> --
> Message posted via http://www.sqlmonster.com
>

Location of ERRORLOG and SQLAGENNT.OUT

SQL Server 2000, Windows 2003 R2, Cluster 5.2
We're setting up a new cluster and I would like to move the LOGFILE and
SQLAGENT.OUT file off of the drive(s) that contain .ldf & .mdf files. My
reason is that these files will contribute to drive fragmentation (also, I
would like it to be a simpler path to get to the files, something right off
of the drive root).
Now, I've never done this on a cluster before and our Windows admin is
telling me that these logs are somehow used by the cluster administrator to
do some part of the failover. I'm unclear how.
Anyway, The drives I have available are:
C: OS (not shared)
E: Apps (SQL Server Install/not shared)
Q: Quorum
L: Logs (shared)
S: Data (shared)
R: Backup (shared)
The ERRORLOG & SQLAGENT.OUT files are currently on S: under the "S:\Program
Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\LOG" path (same disk as the data files) and
I would like to place them on the E: drive (which is not shared).
I can see that this would cause me to not have log entries from the other
server immediatly available to me on a changeover as it wouldn't be on a
shared disk -- and I don't know if that is a bad thing, or not.
Can I, or should I, move these log files off the disk with the data files?
Thanks,
Jay
These log files hardly cause any significant fragmentation that would have a
significant impact on the database performance.
I have never tried to move the log files to local non-shared disks, and will
probably never try it since that is not the way it is supposed to work.
Even if you managed to relocate the log files to E, consider this. When your
instance is running on node A, and the logs would be on the E drive on node
A. If then node A is hosed, your SQL instance will fail over to another node,
but your log files. So you won't have access to the log files for
troubleshooting. Not good! Okay, the cluster service may manage to replicate
some of the errorlog entries that are also writtne to the app eventlog to the
other nodes, but the completeness of that is not guaranteed when there is a
sudden failure.
Don't do it!
Linchi
"Jay" wrote:

> SQL Server 2000, Windows 2003 R2, Cluster 5.2
> We're setting up a new cluster and I would like to move the LOGFILE and
> SQLAGENT.OUT file off of the drive(s) that contain .ldf & .mdf files. My
> reason is that these files will contribute to drive fragmentation (also, I
> would like it to be a simpler path to get to the files, something right off
> of the drive root).
> Now, I've never done this on a cluster before and our Windows admin is
> telling me that these logs are somehow used by the cluster administrator to
> do some part of the failover. I'm unclear how.
> Anyway, The drives I have available are:
> C: OS (not shared)
> E: Apps (SQL Server Install/not shared)
> Q: Quorum
> L: Logs (shared)
> S: Data (shared)
> R: Backup (shared)
> The ERRORLOG & SQLAGENT.OUT files are currently on S: under the "S:\Program
> Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\LOG" path (same disk as the data files) and
> I would like to place them on the E: drive (which is not shared).
> I can see that this would cause me to not have log entries from the other
> server immediatly available to me on a changeover as it wouldn't be on a
> shared disk -- and I don't know if that is a bad thing, or not.
> Can I, or should I, move these log files off the disk with the data files?
> Thanks,
> Jay
>
>
|||Point taken, thanks.
"Linchi Shea" <LinchiShea@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2B7D6FFA-DAF5-4F1A-8479-95AD50156DE7@.microsoft.com...[vbcol=seagreen]
> These log files hardly cause any significant fragmentation that would have
> a
> significant impact on the database performance.
> I have never tried to move the log files to local non-shared disks, and
> will
> probably never try it since that is not the way it is supposed to work.
> Even if you managed to relocate the log files to E, consider this. When
> your
> instance is running on node A, and the logs would be on the E drive on
> node
> A. If then node A is hosed, your SQL instance will fail over to another
> node,
> but your log files. So you won't have access to the log files for
> troubleshooting. Not good! Okay, the cluster service may manage to
> replicate
> some of the errorlog entries that are also writtne to the app eventlog to
> the
> other nodes, but the completeness of that is not guaranteed when there is
> a
> sudden failure.
> Don't do it!
> Linchi
> "Jay" wrote:
sql

local administrator access for DBA's - is this required?

Hi
I need to manage a SQL cluster, monitor database and O.S performance and
apply database patches. Do I require local admin rights for this? If not
what is the workaround please?
Problem is, my organisation is very reluctant to grant local admin rights.
Is there a Microsoft article on this type of issue (I couldn't find one).
Thanks!
MilesHI
Use the SQL server account if you need local admin privilege on server.
Andras Jakus MCDBA
"Miles" wrote:

> Hi
> I need to manage a SQL cluster, monitor database and O.S performance and
> apply database patches. Do I require local admin rights for this? If not
> what is the workaround please?
> Problem is, my organisation is very reluctant to grant local admin rights.
> Is there a Microsoft article on this type of issue (I couldn't find one).
> Thanks!
> Miles
>

local administrator access for DBA's - is this required?

Hi
I need to manage a SQL cluster, monitor database and O.S performance and
apply database patches. Do I require local admin rights for this? If not
what is the workaround please?
Problem is, my organisation is very reluctant to grant local admin rights.
Is there a Microsoft article on this type of issue (I couldn't find one).
Thanks!
MilesHI
Use the SQL server account if you need local admin privilege on server.
Andras Jakus MCDBA
"Miles" wrote:
> Hi
> I need to manage a SQL cluster, monitor database and O.S performance and
> apply database patches. Do I require local admin rights for this? If not
> what is the workaround please?
> Problem is, my organisation is very reluctant to grant local admin rights.
> Is there a Microsoft article on this type of issue (I couldn't find one).
> Thanks!
> Miles
>

local administrator access for DBA's - is this required?

Hi
I need to manage a SQL cluster, monitor database and O.S performance and
apply database patches. Do I require local admin rights for this? If not
what is the workaround please?
Problem is, my organisation is very reluctant to grant local admin rights.
Is there a Microsoft article on this type of issue (I couldn't find one).
Thanks!
Miles
HI
Use the SQL server account if you need local admin privilege on server.
Andras Jakus MCDBA
"Miles" wrote:

> Hi
> I need to manage a SQL cluster, monitor database and O.S performance and
> apply database patches. Do I require local admin rights for this? If not
> what is the workaround please?
> Problem is, my organisation is very reluctant to grant local admin rights.
> Is there a Microsoft article on this type of issue (I couldn't find one).
> Thanks!
> Miles
>