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What is SQL Server transaction log?
Every SQL Server database has a transaction log that records all transactions and the database modifications made by each transaction. The transaction log is a critical component of the database. If there is a system failure, you will need that log to bring your database back to a consistent state.
How do I read a SQL transaction log?
View Log Files
- Right-click SQL Server Logs, point to View, and then click either SQL Server Log or SQL Server and Windows Log.
- Expand SQL Server Logs, right-click any log file, and then click View SQL Server Log. You can also double-click any log file.
What to do if SQL Server transaction log goes bad?
After a hardware loss or disk failure affecting the database files, you can restore the database to the point of failure. You first restore the last full database backup and the last differential database backup, and then restore the subsequent sequence of the transaction log backups to the point of failure.
What are the characteristics of the SQL Server transaction log?
Characteristics of the SQL Server Database Engine transaction log: The transaction log is implemented as a separate file or set of files in the database. The log cache is managed separately from the buffer cache for data pages, which results in simple, fast, and robust code within the Database Engine.
How are transaction logs used in database recovery?
Known good points from which to begin applying transaction logs during database recovery are created by checkpoints. For more information, see Database Checkpoints (SQL Server). The transaction log supports the following operations: Individual transaction recovery. Recovery of all incomplete transactions when SQL Server is started.
Is it possible to add multiple transaction logs to SQL Server?
Yes, that is possible, but it’s only recommended in the specific situations. Adding multiple transaction log files will not improve performance of the SQL Server database in any way.