Navision 2.01B

Parvardigar

The company rarely tampers with Navision. It keeps running perfect since we installed it 1999.
We are running Navision 2x on Server 2003 with Xp workstations. However the end of life on the operating systems is coming and
we will need to plan on our upgrade.

Hopefully I can post easy questions on this topic later.

I ran a backup. I then took a look at the database. Image attached.
I don't know what to do. Never changed the database.
Database used is 94%
Database size is 55%

Let me know if this is a safe range if not please advise on steps to make alteration.
Thanks
Chuck

Luc_VanDyck

Using File -> Database -> Expand, you can expand your database so more data can be stored. You can expand the db to the max. size, but then you'll need more time for the backup.

David_Singleton

Luc Van Dyck wrote:

Using File -> Database -> Expand, you can expand your database so more data can be stored. You can expand the db to the max. size, but then you'll need more time for the backup.

Actually this could be the wrong thing to do. It looks like the DB is made (as it should be) from multiple database parts.

I always recommend (even if there is only one DB part) to expand from the advanced menu, so...

File -> Database -> Expand > Advanced. (Advanced is a Button on the Expand form)

Here you can see all the DB parts in one screen, and be sure that you expand them all to be the same size.

Savatage

also your DBMS cache is only at 90,000. I would shoot for 800,000+.

Unless your happy with the performnce.

Parvardigar

Hello I added an image expand / advanced. I have never expanded so I need to be certain. I see db2 - db9 fdb. Do I need to expand if the graph below shows new database %55? I will expand after backing up / users logged off. Don't want to make a mistake. Thanks

Savatage

David Singleton wrote:

be sure that you expand them all to be the same size.

if you are going to expand make sure your "Add KB" to each drive in the same amounts.
until you reach the size you want.

I also see you have your database split into 9 pieces but all on the same drive?
I was expecting each part to be on a different drive.
d:\Navision Data\DB1.fdb
e:\Navision Data\DB2.fdb
f:\Navision Data\DB3.fdb
g:\Navision Data\DB4.fdb
etc..
etc..

For double safety you should make sure everyone's logged out & make a backup.
I've expanded dozens of times without issue.

David_Singleton

Savatage wrote:

I've expanded dozens of times without issue.

Probably you were lucky

Expanding the database is about the most dangerous thing you can do, and by far it is the most likely time for a database failure. The reason is that for some reason during a database expand none of Navision's recovery mechanisms (primary the version principle) do not work. If anything happens like a power failure, or the net work is disconnected from client to server (a cable unplugged or the WiFi drops) then you will almost certainly lose the database and it will be unrecoverable.

Savatage

Yikes! Then a backup before expanding is highly recommended!

Also I always expand from the server & the server should always have a battery backup or two.

Parvardigar

I apologize for this exceptional caution - just don't want to make a serious mistake.

I run a backup. I go to Expand Database / Advanced.
In this uploaded image...do I click on the last tab and type in "Navision Data\Database File\DB10" and then
add 2000000 and click OK? Let me know. Thanks!

Savatage

in the "add" column add 100000 to each line - or whatever size you're shooting for.

Database used 70% is a good place to be
FYI: do you ever optimize? If you've never optimized the tables you might be surprized how much space you can find. But with that little space left over you probably can't optimize the big important tables anyway. Might be a thing to consider once you create more space.

Alex_Chow

David Singleton wrote:

Savatage wrote:

I've expanded dozens of times without issue.

Probably you were lucky

Expanding the database is about the most dangerous thing you can do, and by far it is the most likely time for a database failure. The reason is that for some reason during a database expand none of Navision's recovery mechanisms (primary the version principle) do not work. If anything happens like a power failure, or the net work is disconnected from client to server (a cable unplugged or the WiFi drops) then you will almost certainly lose the database and it will be unrecoverable.

My experiences are same as Harry. I've always expanded our client's database without any problems.

One thing I always done is expand the database on the server, instead of a client.

Savatage

Alex Chow wrote:

One thing I always done is expand the database on the server, instead of a client.

:thumbsup:

David_Singleton

Alex Chow wrote:

My experiences are same as Harry. I've always expanded our client's database without any problems.

Have you tried it?

afarr

This topic is from 2012, and mentions that NAV recovery does not work when the database is being expanded (so it's important to take a backup first).

I've been telling clients about this for several years now, as David Singleton had mentioned it before.

Is it just old versions of NAV that have this risk of total failure? Or maybe only the Navision server (i.e. non-SQL server)?

Thanks,
Alastair