Troubleshooting SQL server database

A number of tools are available to assist with diagnosing and troubleshooting database issues. This section describes these tools and some circumstances under which it might be necessary to use them.

SQL Server, Windows™ tools

The main tools that are available to diagnose and troubleshoot database issues are:

  • Microsoft™ SQL Server Management Studio: the SQL Server administration tool
  • Windows™ Event Log: SQL Server writes error information to the event log under some circumstances
  • Windows™ Performance monitoring tool: provides the ability to monitor performance and SQL Server performance statistics

Common problems and their symptoms

  • If jobs are not completing, or are being placed in a Suspended state, start by checking the entries in their log files.
  • Also check for errors in the Windows™ Application Log using Windows™ Event Viewer.
  • Make sure that there is sufficient free disk space on the SQL Server computer.

Process blocking

If a scan job is running, but the number of Checked Links does not seem to increase over several minutes, there might be some process blocking on SQL Server.

To locate blocking processes:

  1. Using Microsoft™ SQL Server 2005 Management Studio, expand the Management folder under your server.
  2. Open the Activity Monitor property sheet.
  3. Open the Locks by Process or the Locks by Objects window to locate the blocking processes.

It is typical to have blocking processes for short periods of time; however, if your server is blocking for extended periods, contact HCL® Software Support for further help with this issue.

Encrypted data

Because the database is encrypted, you will need to decrypt the data first if you need to troubleshoot a table.

  1. Run the following statement in a query window of MS Studio to decrypt the data: 
    Open symmetric key WebXMKey decryption by asymmetric key WebXMAsymKey;
  2. Use views to retrieve decrypted data, such as wv_Tablename.