We’re all familiar with the ability to restore a database to point in time using the RESTORE WITH STOPAT statement.
But what if we have multiple databases that are accessed from one application or are modifying each other? And over multiple instances? And all databases have different workloads? And we want to restore all of the databases to some known common relative point? The catch here is that this common relative point isn’t the same point in time for all databases. This common relative point in time might be now in DB1, now-1 hour in DB2 and yesterday in DB3. And we don’t know the exact times.
Let me introduce you to Transaction Marks. When we run a marked transaction using the WITH MARK option a flag is set in the transaction log and a row is added to msdb..logmarkhistory table. When restoring a transaction log backup we can restore to either before or after that marked transaction. The best thing is that we don’t even need to have one database modifying another database. All we have to do is use a marked transaction with the same name in different database.
Let’s see how this works with an example. The code comments say what’s going on.
USE master GO CREATE DATABASE TestTxMark1 GO
USE TestTxMark1 GO CREATE TABLE TestTable1 ( ID INT, VALUE UNIQUEIDENTIFIER )
-- insert some data into the table so we can have a starting point
INSERT INTO TestTable1 SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY number) AS RN, NULL FROM master..spt_values ORDER BY RN
SELECT * FROM TestTable1 GO
-- TAKE A FULL BACKUP of the databse BACKUP DATABASE TestTxMark1 TO DISK = 'c:\TestTxMark1.bak' GO
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USE master GO CREATE DATABASE TestTxMark2 GO
USE TestTxMark2 GO CREATE TABLE TestTable2 ( ID INT, VALUE UNIQUEIDENTIFIER ) -- insert some data into the table so we can have a starting point INSERT INTO TestTable2 SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY number) AS RN, NEWID() FROM master..spt_values ORDER BY RN
SELECT * FROM TestTable2 GO
-- TAKE A FULL BACKUP of our databse BACKUP DATABASE TestTxMark2 TO DISK = 'c:\TestTxMark2.bak' GO
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-- start a marked transaction that modifies both databases BEGIN TRAN TxDb WITH MARK -- update values from NULL to random value UPDATE TestTable1 SET VALUE = NEWID(); -- update first 100 values from random value
-- to NULL in different DB UPDATE TestTxMark2.dbo.TestTable2 SET VALUE = NULL WHERE ID <= 100; COMMIT GO
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-- some time goes by here -- with various database activity...
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-- We see two entries for marks in each database. -- This is just informational and has no bearing on the restore itself. SELECT * FROM msdb..logmarkhistory
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USE master GO -- create a log backup to restore to mark point BACKUP LOG TestTxMark1 TO DISK = 'c:\TestTxMark1.trn' GO -- drop the database so we can restore it back DROP DATABASE TestTxMark1 GO
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USE master GO -- create a log backup to restore to mark point BACKUP LOG TestTxMark2 TO DISK = 'c:\TestTxMark2.trn' GO -- drop the database so we can restore it back DROP DATABASE TestTxMark2 GO
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-- RESTORE THE DATABASE BACK BEFORE OUR TRANSACTION -- restore the full backup RESTORE DATABASE TestTxMark1 FROM DISK = 'c:\TestTxMark1.bak' WITH NORECOVERY;
-- restore the log backup to the transaction mark RESTORE LOG TestTxMark1 FROM DISK = 'c:\TestTxMark1.trn' WITH RECOVERY, -- recover to state before the transaction STOPBEFOREMARK = 'TxDb'; -- recover to state after the transaction -- STOPATMARK = 'TxDb'; GO
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-- RESTORE THE DATABASE BACK BEFORE OUR TRANSACTION -- restore the full backup RESTORE DATABASE TestTxMark2 FROM DISK = 'c:\TestTxMark2.bak' WITH NORECOVERY;
-- restore the log backup to the transaction mark RESTORE LOG TestTxMark2 FROM DISK = 'c:\TestTxMark2.trn' WITH RECOVERY, -- recover to state before the transaction STOPBEFOREMARK = 'TxDb'; -- recover to state after the transaction -- STOPATMARK = 'TxDb'; GO
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USE TestTxMark1 -- we restored to time before the transaction -- so we have NULL values in our table SELECT * FROM TestTable1
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USE TestTxMark2 -- we restored to time before the transaction -- so we DON'T have NULL values in our table SELECT * FROM TestTable2
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Transaction marks can be used like a crude sync mechanism for cross database operations. With them we can mark our databases with a common “restore to” point so we know we have a valid state between all databases to restore to.
Legacy Comments
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Scott R.
2010-10-20 |
re: SQL Server Transaction Marks: Restoring multiple databases to a common relative point Mladen,
Good topic and post!
I seem to recall that Microsoft BizTalk uses transaction marks to coordinate recovery points for its multiple DBs app design approach. See link: msdn.microsoft.com/.../aa577848%28BTS.70%29.aspx
Because SharePoint uses a multiple DB app design approach very similar to the BizTalk multiple DB app design approach, I initially suspected that SharePoint may also use transaction marks to coordinate recovery points across its multiple DBs. I don't find any obvious hits on "sharepoint transaction mark", so I could be wrong on this assumption.
Anyone else know more on SharePoint and transaction marks? Care to share?
I also recall an issue with a third-party DB backup product not supporting transaction marks (no names! - and it was quite some time ago). I suspect that those issues are resolved, but it would be good to confirm with your third-party DB backup vendor and test for yourself.
Scott R. |