The
DPM database stores all DPM settings, configuration, and reporting information
for DPM.
A
database failure can cause DPM jobs to fail, interfere with the use of DPM
Administrator Console, prevent DPM reporting, and stop the DPM service. A
backlog of requests caused by low memory or high CPU usage also can cause
client timeouts (when DPM processes take a long time to establish a connection
to SQL Server or run a SQL query).
Possible
causes of DPM database failures include the following:
- An unusually high number of protection jobs being processed on the DPM server at one time, and SQL Server is unable to handle the volume of requests in a timely manner. This is the most common cause of client timeouts and general network errors.
- A database or transaction log that DPM uses has run out of disk space.
- The DPM database enters an inconsistent state or becomes corrupted.
- The SQL Server service is not running or is not configured correctly.
Some
database failures in DPM are caused by transitory problems that may resolve
themselves. Examples include insufficient resources, client timeouts,
insufficient disk space for transaction logs, deadlocks in SQL Server,
recoverable database errors, and timing issues.
Before
you run diagnostics for this type of database failure, perform the following
steps on the DPM server to ensure that the problem is not transitory.
To resolve issues that might cause a transitory database failure
1.
Verify that the SQL Server service is running. In Administrative
Tools, open Services, and
verify that the status of the SQL Server (MSDPM2010) service isStarted. If it is
not, right-click the service, and then click Start or Resume, as
appropriate.
2.
If this does not fix the problem, close and reopen DPM
Administrator Console.
3.
If this does not fix the problem, stop and restart both the DPM
service and the SQL Server (MSDPM2010) service. (In most cases, restarting the
DPM service will resolve the issue.) For instructions, see Verifying Status
of the DPM Service.
If
you experience database failures in DPM that are not transitory in nature, the
issues can be complex. You will need to work with your SQL Server
administrator to diagnose and resolve the related issues. The following Database
Errors table
provides a starting point for resolving specific database errors. The Database
Exceptions table
later in this topic provides information about how to troubleshoot database
exceptions.
Database
Errors
Error
|
To troubleshoot
this error
|
Error
940: Unable to connect to the database because of a fatal
database error. It is unlikely that the database itself has been damaged.
|
Ensure that the DPM
instance of SQL Server (MSDPM2010) service is running. Then use Windows Event
Viewer to find information about related events.
|
Error
941: Unable to connect to the DPM database.
|
To
resolve issues related to database connection failures
1.
Ensure that the DPM service is running.
2.
Resolve transient issues that might be temporary database
connection failures.
3.
Make sure that SQL Server is configured correctly. For
information about configuring SQL Server for use with DPM, see Manually
Installing Prerequisite Software.
|
Error
942: Database integrity is in question because of a hardware or
software problem.
|
If the integrity of
the DPM database is in question, contact your SQL Server administrator. You
might need to repair or restore the database in SQL Server from backup media.
Inform the
administrator every time this error is encountered. Look at Windows Event Log
for SQL Server/media failures. It is possible that the problem is in the
cache only and not on the disk itself. If so, restarting SQL Server corrects
the problem. In some cases, it may be necessary to restore the database.
To
resolve issues related to a database that may be corrupt
1.
Use Event Viewer on the DPM server to check for I/O problems
at the time of the alert. I/O failures in the event log might explain why the
database was corrupted. If that is the case, you might want to repair or
replace the hard disk before restoring the database.
2.
To determine the extent of the database problem, perform a
database check on the database for which integrity is in question. In SQL
Query Analyzer, enter the following command:
dbcc checkdbdatabasename
3.
Depending on the nature of the problem, you might need to
repair or restore the DPM database. Some problems, such as indexing and
caching problems, can be resolved by repairing the database or restarting SQL
Server. Work with your SQL Server administrator to determine the best course
of action.
|
Error
943: Unable to connect to the DPM database because the database
is in an inconsistent state.
|
If DPM finds that
the database is in an inconsistent state, the problem is unlikely to resolve
itself.
|
Error
944: Database operation failed.
|
·
If you are experiencing client timeouts and general network
errors that are possibly related to SQL Server being unable to handle the
volume of requests, modify protection schedules for protection groups to
stagger protection jobs.
·
A high incidence of client timeouts may be a sign that the
volume that stores your database files and transaction logs is highly
fragmented. If needed, use Disk Defragmenter to defragment the volume.
·
A shortage of disk space for a SQL Server database file or
transaction log generates a warning or error in SQL Server, depending on how
critical the shortage has become. If transaction logs overflow, the DPM
service probably will shut down after one or more failed attempts to access
the database.
To resolve issues caused by a shortage of disk space for databases or transaction logs
1.
Use Windows Event Viewer to get additional information about
the problem.
2.
Use SQL Query Analyzer to get information about the size of
the databases and the use of transaction log space by entering the following
commands:
sp_helpdb — Reports the size of each database file. dbcc sqlperf (logspace) — Reports the current sizes of transaction logs.
3.
Shrink the database and transaction logs. In SQL Query
Analyzer, enter the following commands:
dbcc shrinkfile (databasenamelog.dat) — Shrinks the transaction logs for the specified database. dbcc shrinkfile (databasename_dat) — Shrinks the specified database file.
If disk space is
still insufficient, extend the volume that contains the files to ensure
sufficient disk space for the transaction log during peak performance.
·
This error can also occur if the SQL Server administrator has
deleted the database, taken the database offline, or detached the database
for maintenance. If the database is offline or detached for maintenance,
retry the operation after the database is brought online. If the database was
deleted, restore the database from tape backup, and then run DpmSync.
|
Error
945: Unable to connect to the DPM database because of a general
database failure.
|
For general
database failures, ensure that the DPM service is running on the DPM server.
Then use Windows Event Viewer to find information about related events. On a
new DPM server, ensure that SQL Server is configured correctly.
To
resolve issues related to general database failures
1.
Ensure that the SQL Server (MSDPM2010) service is running.
2.
Resolve transient issues that might be temporary database
connection failures.
3.
Make sure that SQL Server is configured correctly. For
information about configuring SQL Server for use with DPM, see Configuring DPM.
4.
If general database failures persist, contact Microsoft
product support for help with troubleshooting the problem.
|
Database
Exceptions
Exception
|
To troubleshoot
this exception
|
Exception
5168: Login failed for user <user name>.
|
DpmSync fails when
trying to restore the DPM database because it cannot open the DPM database
requested by the login.
Verify that the DPM
installation contains a new DPM database and that it is online before trying
to restore an older database. If a new database does not exist on the DPM
installation, uninstall and then reinstall DPM. After the installation is
complete, run DpmSync again.
|
Additional Resources for Troubleshooting Database Issues
This
following is a list of additional resources you might use to help diagnose and
resolve DPM database issues.
- Configuring SQL Server for use with DPM, see Installing DPM.
- Using the sp_helpdb system stored procedure for SQL Server in the Transact-SQL Reference.
- Using the Database Console Commands (DBCC), DBCC SQLPERF and DBCC SHRINKFILE for SQL Server located in the “DBCC” section of the Transact-SQL Reference.
- Using the Windows Server 2008 event logs to identify problems.
- Configuring and maintaining physical storage components in SQL Server 2008 to meet capacity, throughput, and performance requirements. For more information, see Managing Performance.