Setting a SQL database size limit
I am trying to set a database SIZE limit for a SQL database on my SQL 2005 Standard server. I want a specific database (a SYSLOG database) to limit itself to (1) GB. I have set the maximum database size for this database in the database properties in SQL Enterprise Manager and indeed, the database is NOT growing larger than 1GB.
However, I do see the APPLICATION LOG of the SQL server filling up with THOUSANDS of messages indicating that the database is full and unable to be written to.
What I WANT to happen is for 1GB of data to be retained, with NEWER data pushing OLDER data out. I thought this is what would be happening when I set a database size limit, but looking at the APPLICATION log, it does not seem that this is the case. Can anyone tell me if I misunderstood what LIMIT DATABASE SIZE meant, and if this is NOT what I've configured, can it be done?
However, I do see the APPLICATION LOG of the SQL server filling up with THOUSANDS of messages indicating that the database is full and unable to be written to.
What I WANT to happen is for 1GB of data to be retained, with NEWER data pushing OLDER data out. I thought this is what would be happening when I set a database size limit, but looking at the APPLICATION log, it does not seem that this is the case. Can anyone tell me if I misunderstood what LIMIT DATABASE SIZE meant, and if this is NOT what I've configured, can it be done?
ASKER
I opened up the one table in my database (SYSLOG table) and looked at the actual DATA in the database, and it really truly IS only recent data, with older data being pushed out, it seems. It's hard to EXACTLY tell because it's 1GB of SYSLOG data (text) from a firewall, so the Query seemed to go on FOREVER. Any idea on the best way to query this data to see if its actually doing this? I'm thinking a query that would be: The fist 20 rows and the last 20 rows of data displayed from that table. How could I show that? Looking at this report several times would be a good indicator as to whether what I INTENDED to happen is ACTUALLY happening.
If it IS happening, can I suppress that event from logging? I don't mean filtering it out, I mean setting SQL server to not log that event?
If it IS happening, can I suppress that event from logging? I don't mean filtering it out, I mean setting SQL server to not log that event?
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ASKER
I can't seem to get the results to work on this query, how would I select the database in the query given that it's configured as : SQL SERVER --> master,model,etc...MY DATABASE --> MY DATABASE --> TABLE (syslog) --> Data that's taking up 1 GB
ASKER
Comment was accurate but answer to question was incorrect, as we do NOT need an archival process.
What you need here is an archival process.
What you're trying to do cannot be done as part of a standard sql configuration.
Setting the size limit of a database will not truncate out old data and push new data in, so the messages you are getting are correct.
You will need some type of script to push out data to an archived table or database. Probably based by date rather than size I'd image.
So maybe every day you could have a job to say copy rows from your table which are older than 30 days for example. Once the rows are copied, you can delete them from your original table.