Anyone know why my SQL transaction log would be over 3gb. We did a full backup over the weekend which should have shrunk the log. The database is only 150mb.
We are running BES 4.0 SP1, Exchange 2003, with SQL 2000 on a seperate Box.

If you have full logging enabled it will get huge.

Check properties on the database and make sure its set to "simple logging"

Change to simple if needed and shrink the database manually

So what is the difference between the two?

Stolen from MSSQL online help.


The Full Recovery model uses database backups and transaction log backups to provide complete protection against media failure. If one or more data files is damaged, media recovery can restore all committed transactions. In-process transactions are rolled back.

Full Recovery provides the ability to recover the database to the point of failure or to a specific point in time. To guarantee this degree of recoverability, all operations, including bulk operations such as SELECT INTO, CREATE INDEX, and bulk loading data, are fully logged.

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Simple Recovery
With the Simple Recovery model, the database can be recovered to the point of the last backup. However, you cannot restore the database to the point of failure or to a specific point in time. To do that, choose either the Full Recovery or Bulk-Logged Recovery model.

The backup strategy for simple recovery consists of:

Database backups.


Differential backups (optional).


Note This model is similar to setting the trunc. log on chkpt. database option in Microsoft® SQL Server™ version 7.0 or earlier.


To recover in the event of media failure

Restore the most recent full database backup.


If differential backups exist, restore the most recent one.
Changes since the last database or differential backup are lost.

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With MSDE there was a way to limit the size of the log file, then set it to unlimited or something. IE, you set the size to 1.5Gb then something else to unlimited. That way when it reached 1.5Gb, it would start appending to the end while deleting the oldest info at the same time.

Is there something similar in SQL?

Yes, in SQL, you can set the Transaction log to "unlimited restricton" it allows the log file to grow as big as it needs. BTW, this is the setting you want in SQL because if the transaction log reaches its limit, you can't add users or add people to policies or anything in the MMC.