Impact of Transaction logging on Windows Server 2003
I have 4 mail servers that all backup to one other server. The backup has started taking a very long time to run so I have been asked to look into enabling transaction logging on that particular server. Can anybody advise the pros and cons of doing this on such a server please? Will this actually benefit the backup process?
Software/Hardware used:
Domino 7.0.2 Windows 2003
Software/Hardware used:
Domino 7.0.2 Windows 2003
ASKED:
March 15, 2011 9:38 AM
UPDATED:
March 22, 2011 8:52 PM
Answer Wiki:
No it will not benefit your backup process but will definitely help you in finding out the lose ends in your process.
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I beg to differ on that Transaction logs will not affect back up times. With transaction logging on you can now take incremental back-ups hence shortening the time that it would take for a FULL backup. Additionally, the consistency check for non-essential databases is skipped hence getting a server back online quicker if there is no cluster mate. Also, writes to the log are delayed to a time when CPU utilization is not at peak thus allowing the server to focus on necessary services at the time. A con is if the server crashes and the transaction logging get’s corrupt then it’s a chicken or egg thing. You will have to disable transaction logging for that server on another server and then replace the NAB on crashed server with the one you turned off transaction logging on. That will allow the crashed server to come up without transaction logging turned on. Also, if you run some type of maintenance of transaction logs that changes the DIIBD’s and that can cause problems too but the pros (in my opinion) out weight the cons.
Con – the Transactional logs need to be on another disk (mirrored if you can) most servers that have not had this taken into consideration will no doubt not have the disk there to use.
Con – to get what you want you will need Archive transaction logs. You will need to monitor the amount of disk space used per day and work out how many incramental backups can be done.
Con – the backup software that you use will have to be able to work with Domino transactional logs. Once the backup has been done then software will mark the Seperate logs as archived and tells the Domino server to reuse the space. Warning – if the Disk runs out of space – your domino server stops working.
Pro – By doing this you will get point in time backups. So no loss of data going back to the last good backup.
Pro – you only have to do incrememtal backups and a weekly full backup.
Con - any task that changes the DIIDB will effect the restoring of that DB – ie the transactional logs will not match the database anymore. Only compact -b, fixup -j will not effect this. This does not limit you in what you can and cant do, you just need to be aware because sometimes you will need to run compact tasks that will change this.
Pro – The server will only consistancy check the databases that are open at the time of a crash. difference between a 12 hour crash and a 30 minutes and back and working.