Database growing

[peeky1323]

Hi,

ARCserve 2000 SP4
Windows 2000 server + SP3

Our database has been a steady 3.6GB (ish) for about a year kept in line with Pruning every 30 days. I know this doesn't reduce the database size but it should keep it from growing shouldn't it? Over the last 2-3 months it is growing. We back up the same amount of data but it is now 6GB.

Is this normall. Will the databases grow even the same amount of data is backed up.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[wirk]

Had a similar problem.
Did the following:

Stop the ARCserve Engines and then delete the following files, found in the database directory.

The three files are:
rdm.chk - checkpoint image file
raaaaaaa.chg - Change log file
rdm.chi - Change log indicator file

These files are index files that will be recreated the next time ARCserve starts.

I had a large number of *.chg files.

 

[peeky1323]

*.chg are a sign of DB corruption. I only had 2 as I keep it in check with dbcheck/dbcheck.

Running a defrag/keybuild compressed the database to 2.6GB (after 38 hours of running) but then within 1 week it is back up to it's normall size.

Any further ideas

Thanks,

Matt

 

[NickFerrar]

You're right the DB size should stabilise to your pruning schedule (with small growth as the empty space is used 100% efficiently).

All I can think is:

1). Perhaps a SP or hotfix has changed the DB logging and it now takes more space?

2). Although your data size has remained the same perhaps you now have many more files taking up the same space?

3). Possibly changed the logging option from summary to detail?

 

[peeky1323]

Hi,

I am only logging "Summary".

What is the difference in the Database options "Record Detailed Information" and "Record Job and Session Information Onlu"? I currently use Detailed. Should I be able to drill down in the "Restore by session window" and see individual files with the "Record Job and Sessions Information" option selected, because I can't. I think this may be my problem although I have been using this Detailed option for 2 years and the DB has only statred growing crazy in the last few months.

Thanks,

Matt
----------Light humour-------

I contacted CA support about this. To cut a long story short I told them I did not want to reduce my pruning job, and I used dbcheck/fix, defrag and keybuild but my database is growing out of control. Their answer was to reduce my pruning job and use the utilities found at:

http://support.ca.com/techbases/as2000/as2k-1521.html

 

[peeky1323]

I guess I will just initiialize the astpsdat. Has anyone else had not so useful answers from CA support?

I set out 3 questions:

1) Should our database grow at 150mb a day (I gave them our daily backup ammount of 400GB in a previous email)? We use dbcheck/fix defrag/keybuild. After running defrag/keybuild the database is reduced from 6.1gb to 2.6 but within 3 days it is again 6.1GB.

2) What is the difference in the Database options "Record Detailed Information" and "Record Job and Session Information Only"? I currently use Detailed. Should I be able to drill down in the "Restore by session window" and see individual files with the "Record Job and Sessions Information" option selected, because I can't.

3) We do many resotres without merging tapes. This is why we need 30 days worth of history and did not want to initialize.

This was my third email as I didn't get a straight answer.

I got the following response (not ammended in any way) and gave up. Does anyone know what the hell they are talking about with the blank database for maintenance????

---------------Response------------------

As per your questions , yes the database grows everyday but it all depends upon the data which you are backing up everyday or mergeing it. Secondly if you are doing the merge or backup in very huge amount then you I can send you a completey blank database which would be around some 3Mb only and for maintaining it you can lower down the number of days for pruning as you can set for prune database older then 10 days and then run the database maintanence utility dbdefrag after every 10 days. Its always better to have a detail information.