A third-party software truncates MS SQL Server logs

This article applies to:

• Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server

Symptoms

1. You run a differential backup or transaction logs backup in Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server;
2. The backup job errors out with a message similar to the following one:

   Cannot perform backup of the '(local).Databse1' Microsoft SQL database transaction log: No information about previous backup or there is a gap between it and existing transaction log. Trying to create differential backup.

   or

   Cannot create a backup of the following Microsoft SQL database: '(local).Databse1'. Reason: There is no information about the previous backup or it is invalid. Trying to create a full backup of the database.

Cause

A third party software backs up or uses SQL Server and truncates operation logs, preventing Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server from identifying the modified data to back up.

When Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server creates a backup, it truncates the operation logs and remembers the last transaction that was backed up. When the following differential backup or transaction logs backup starts, the program looks for the corresponding entry in transaction logs to identify what data changed since the last backup. If a different program truncates operation logs between the two Acronis backups, the necessary entry in transaction logs is missing: in this case the program reports that there is no information about previous backup.

Solution

It is not recommended to use several third-party backup tools simultaneously since backup operations may conflict.

If you want to keep the third-party software for SQL Server backups together with Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server, there are two possible workarounds:

• Reconfigure Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server backup plan to include only full backups;
• Change Backup type substitution settings: go to Tools -> Options -> Default Backup Options -> Backup type substitution and select If backup of the selected type cannot be created, try to create backup of another type:

  

  When this option is activated, Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server will attempt to create a differential backup if transaction log backup is impossible. A full backup will be created if a differential backup is impossible.

More information

See also:

• Backup Technology Used in Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server
• Defining Backup Strategy with Acronis Recovery for MS SQL Server Assistant

Contact Acronis Support if you have any questions or need assistance.