consistency errors and prevention

What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be 15-40
gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something equivalent
- never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4 gig.
We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.
Most errors are due to hardware problems these days. A failing disk array or
controller is a key culprit in getting corrupt data. But there are other
reasons as well. Bad UPS's, non-battery backed caching controllers, unstable
mother boards etc.
Andrew J. Kelly SQL MVP
"Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
> What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
> We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
> database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be
> 15-40
> gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something
> equivalent
> - never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4
> gig.
> We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.
|||I'm curious what hardware are you using?
I've seen an amazingly consistent string of database corruptions on Tyan
servers recently..
Regards,
Greg Linwood
SQL Server MVP
http://blogs.sqlserver.org.au/blogs/greg_linwood
"Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
> What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
> We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
> database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be
> 15-40
> gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something
> equivalent
> - never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4
> gig.
> We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.
|||In addition, below article has some details on what properties you want to ensure your storage
subsystem has:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...lIObasics.mspx
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
"Greg Linwood" <g_linwood@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uE4IgAO9GHA.2268@.TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> I'm curious what hardware are you using?
> I've seen an amazingly consistent string of database corruptions on Tyan servers recently..
> Regards,
> Greg Linwood
> SQL Server MVP
> http://blogs.sqlserver.org.au/blogs/greg_linwood
> "Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
>

consistency errors and prevention

What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be 15-40
gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something equivalent
- never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4 gig.
We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.Most errors are due to hardware problems these days. A failing disk array or
controller is a key culprit in getting corrupt data. But there are other
reasons as well. Bad UPS's, non-battery backed caching controllers, unstable
mother boards etc.
--
Andrew J. Kelly SQL MVP
"Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
> What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
> We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
> database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be
> 15-40
> gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something
> equivalent
> - never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4
> gig.
> We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.|||I'm curious what hardware are you using?
I've seen an amazingly consistent string of database corruptions on Tyan
servers recently..
Regards,
Greg Linwood
SQL Server MVP
http://blogs.sqlserver.org.au/blogs/greg_linwood
"Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
> What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
> We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
> database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be
> 15-40
> gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something
> equivalent
> - never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4
> gig.
> We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.|||In addition, below article has some details on what properties you want to ensure your storage
subsystem has:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2000/maintain/sqlIObasics.mspx
--
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
"Greg Linwood" <g_linwood@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uE4IgAO9GHA.2268@.TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> I'm curious what hardware are you using?
> I've seen an amazingly consistent string of database corruptions on Tyan servers recently..
> Regards,
> Greg Linwood
> SQL Server MVP
> http://blogs.sqlserver.org.au/blogs/greg_linwood
> "Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
>> What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
>> We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
>> database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be 15-40
>> gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something equivalent
>> - never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4 gig.
>> We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.
>|||No Tyan servers. Sorry. They can be anything from a Dell to a Custom White Box.
"Greg Linwood" wrote:
> I'm curious what hardware are you using?
> I've seen an amazingly consistent string of database corruptions on Tyan
> servers recently..
> Regards,
> Greg Linwood
> SQL Server MVP
> http://blogs.sqlserver.org.au/blogs/greg_linwood
> "Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
> > What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
> >
> > We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
> > database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be
> > 15-40
> > gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something
> > equivalent
> > - never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4
> > gig.
> >
> > We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.
>
>sqlsql

consistency errors and prevention

What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be 15-4
0
gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something equivalent
- never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4 gi
g.
We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.Most errors are due to hardware problems these days. A failing disk array or
controller is a key culprit in getting corrupt data. But there are other
reasons as well. Bad UPS's, non-battery backed caching controllers, unstable
mother boards etc.
Andrew J. Kelly SQL MVP
"Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
> What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
> We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
> database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be
> 15-40
> gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something
> equivalent
> - never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4
> gig.
> We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.|||I'm curious what hardware are you using?
I've seen an amazingly consistent string of database corruptions on Tyan
servers recently..
Regards,
Greg Linwood
SQL Server MVP
http://blogs.sqlserver.org.au/blogs/greg_linwood
"Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
> What causes consistency errors and what can be done to prevent them?
> We have a large number (500 or so) of SQL Server 2000 installations with
> database sizes ranging from 3 - 120 gig. Average database size would be
> 15-40
> gig. They could be installed on Server 2000 or 2003 or something
> equivalent
> - never on a workstation. Memory on the machines can range from 1gig to 4
> gig.
> We have lost close to 10 databases this year so far.|||In addition, below article has some details on what properties you want to e
nsure your storage
subsystem has:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...ver/default.asp
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
"Greg Linwood" <g_linwood@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uE4IgAO9GHA.2268@.TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> I'm curious what hardware are you using?
> I've seen an amazingly consistent string of database corruptions on Tyan s
ervers recently..
> Regards,
> Greg Linwood
> SQL Server MVP
> http://blogs.sqlserver.org.au/blogs/greg_linwood
> "Stedak" <Stedak@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:935DF649-22D7-4B2F-9D81-189649200950@.microsoft.com...
>

connection problems

Hello,

I am doing a bit of troubleshooting on a problem sql server installation and I am trying to rule out possible causes.

A few times over the last few weeks our users have had problems connecting to an application with a sql server 2000 back-end. They are receiving a message stating -2147467259 Fatal error: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL SERVER] [DBNETLIB] General network error. Check your network documentation. 0. This is solved by a reboot of the server.

Roughly the same time as the error began happening we installed a copy of sql server onto someones machine that has nothing to do with the problem application or the data - it has its own data file that it points to locally on the machine and no associated application. There are also no instances pointing to the server. The machine is on the network however and has access to the main server.

I did not think this could cause the problem since it has nothing to do do with the server install and it is essentially a local sql server installation but I have a little doubt, as if you click on the service manager on the local machine, along with showing that the local install is running, when you click on the server arrow, there is a reference to the server install in there stating that the service is running. Is it possible that when this user shuts down their machine, it is somehow stopping the service on the server? There is no evidence of this on the server but by the time we are in, the user has always been using their machine.

I have had no problems installing local copies of sql server elsewhere but could this be something to do with the way the network is set up at this particular company that this local copy is actually controlling the server machine and when shutting it down the services are being stopped - please note however that all services state they are running on the server although I have now uninstalled the local copy just incase so I cannot check if they are running when this machine is shut down so i am hoping someone here can rule this out for me.

I guess my question is - could this local install of sql server be conflicting with the server? Is this normal for all servers on the network to be displayed in the sql server service manager list? Surely there is no problem having a seperate install of sql server on a machine on the network that acts independantly? As I have siad, it is just the fact that the server is in the service manager list on the local machine, that is causing a doubt. At my last company, we all had our own installs with world online and then even had instances pointing to a central server and no problems such as this so I may know the answer here already - just cant remember if the central server came up on everyones local service manager, I think it might have but only certain people had the ability to end processes on the server from their local machine!

Thanksanybody??

Could this install be conflicting with the server install by shutting down the local machine?

Any advice on having other sql server installs on networked machines would be greatly appreciated.