The Art of SQL Server FILESTREAM - Red Gate Software

Chapter 7: FILESTREAM DatabaseAdministrationThe previous chapters have discussed development with the FILESTREAM feature inquite some detail. Here, we begin a sequence of four chapters dedicated to the administrationand management of FILESTREAM-enabled databases. In this chapter, we'llexamine some special considerations for FILESTREAM-enabled databases, and howthe presence of FILESTREAM data might affect common database administrative tasks.Specifically, we will cover the points below.• Transaction isolation levels – The behavior of FILESTREAM-enabled databases undereach of the available levels, and where and how this differs from standard databases.• Moving FILESTREAM-enabled databases from one location to another – The maindifference is the need to move the FILESTREAM data container as well as data andlog files.• FILESTREAM garbage files – Possible issues associated with creation of an excessivenumber of FILESTREAM disk files, due to frequent modification of FILESTREAM data,and how SQL Server manages garbage collection of these files.• Common causes of a corrupt FILESTREAM database – And how to use DBCC checksto examine and possibly repair damaged databases.• Coping with growth of FILESTREAM databases – How to move FILESTREAMdata partially or fully to new disk volumes, by rebuilding a clustered index in a newfilegroup, and by partitioning FILESTREAM tables.• Migrating FILESTREAM data – Moving large databases using scripting, or theDatabase Publishing Wizard, in cases where restoring a backup is not feasible.270