Newbie ? -- Does 'master' transaction log need to be backed up?

Hope someone can help answer this question for this newbie.
We are running SQL Server 2000 SP3a on Windows Server 2003, all updates curr
ent.
We have been running smoothly for some time now with two user databases. Th
e maintenance plans work well for them. The maintenance plans for the syste
m databases, however, have been giving me fits. Occasionally, one or more s
teps will fail and there is
no information in any log with which to begin an investigation. The Books O
nline offer no clue, either.
Here's what I need to know:
Most maintenance plans consist of 1 or more options: Optimizations, Integri
ty Checks, Database Backup, Transaction Log Backup. I have all 4 options se
t up for my user databases.
For the system databases (master, model, and msdb), the Transaction Log Back
up continues to fail for the 'master' database with this error:
Backup can not be performed on this database. This sub task is ignored
The Properties Tab of the 'master' database shows that the Transaction Log f
ile is:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\data\mastlog.ldf
Is there a problem with the database?
Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
RobertBy the way, 'master' is set to FULL recovery
Robert|||Hi,
You canot perform a Trasaction log backup for MASTER database even though
recovery model is "FULL". Only database backup is possible. Why do you need
to backup the trasnaction log of MASTER database, because it is not advised
to have user tables / transaction tables in system databases.
Thanks
Hari
MCDBA
"Robert" <rclay@.kerrdrug.com> wrote in message
news:uEutur8TEHA.1356@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> By the way, 'master' is set to FULL recovery
> Robert
>|||Hari,
Thanks for the information.
We don't use the system databases for user data at all! I merely need to
understand what is involved in a standard daily system maintenance process.
That being said, is it okay to just have the Optimizations, Integrity
Checks, and Database Backup options for those three databases (master, model
and msdb) and forget about the Transaction Log backup for each?
Thanks!
Robert
"Hari Prasad" <hari_prasad_k@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ObCeux8TEHA.4048@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> You canot perform a Trasaction log backup for MASTER database even though
> recovery model is "FULL". Only database backup is possible. Why do you
need
> to backup the trasnaction log of MASTER database, because it is not
advised
> to have user tables / transaction tables in system databases.
> Thanks
> Hari
> MCDBA
> "Robert" <rclay@.kerrdrug.com> wrote in message
> news:uEutur8TEHA.1356@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>|||Hi,
Since you are not adding any trasnactions to System database, you can ignore
the transaction log backup
for system databases.
Thanks
Hari
MCDBA
"Robert" <rclay@.kerrdrug.com> wrote in message
news:#S$Kw28TEHA.3988@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Hari,
> Thanks for the information.
> We don't use the system databases for user data at all! I merely need to
> understand what is involved in a standard daily system maintenance
process.
> That being said, is it okay to just have the Optimizations, Integrity
> Checks, and Database Backup options for those three databases (master,
model
> and msdb) and forget about the Transaction Log backup for each?
> Thanks!
> Robert
> "Hari Prasad" <hari_prasad_k@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:ObCeux8TEHA.4048@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
though[vbcol=seagreen]
> need
> advised
>|||Thanks, Hari.
I will only backup the Transaction Logs for my user databases, then.
Robert|||Be aware that the backup history is in the msdb database. Because of this, I
also do log backup for msdb. For
some strange reason, MS decided to set msdb to simple recovery mode when age
nt starts, but I just fix that by
setting msdb to full in an auto-start agent job.
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
"Robert" <rclay@.kerrdrug.com> wrote in message news:%23sbmuX9TEHA.3140@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl.
.
> Thanks, Hari.
> I will only backup the Transaction Logs for my user databases, then.
> Robert
>