SQL server error 3023 triggers while trying to run a backup, shrink, or alter database command in SQL Server when a backup process is running in the server.
As a part of our Server Management Services, we help our Customers to fix SQL related errors regularly.
Let us today discuss the possible causes and fixes for this error.
What is SQL server error 3023?
As we discussed earlier the error 3023 triggers while trying to run a backup, shrink, or alter database command in the Server. This generally happens when we perform another database backup if the backup is already running for the database.
Let us now look at the common reasons for this error.
What causes SQL server error 3023?
There are some restrictions in the operations that are allowed and not allowed when a database backup process is running. These includes:
1. We can run only one database backup at a time. When a full database backup occurs, differential or incremental backups cannot occur at the same time.
2. Only one log backup can happen at a time. A log backup is allowed when a full database backup is occurring.
3. You cannot add or drop files to a database while a backup is occurring.
4. You cannot shrink files while database backups are happening.
5. There are limited recovery model changes allowed while backups are occurring.
Thus, a breach in any of the above restrictions can trigger the SQL Server error 3023, SQL Server error 3013 and SQL Server error 3041 messages. Let us now look into the steps to fix this error message.
How to fix the SQL server error 3023?
The solution to fix the 3023 error is to examine the schedules of the various database maintenance activities, and then adjust the schedules so that these operations or commands do not conflict with each other.
The first thing to do if we see this error message is to check the SQL Server Agent jobs and wait till that job completes.
We need to check the status of the database in SQL to see if it is in a state such as “Restoring” and if so, allow time for the current operation to complete before attempting another backup.
Alternately we can perform any of the following steps:
* Cancel the pending operation against the database
* Bring the database offline and back online
* Remove the database from the backup selections
Further, SQL Server records the start time and the end time of the backup in the msdb database. We can examine the backup history to determine whether there was a full database backup occurring while an incremental backup was attempted. You can use the following query to help you with this process:
~~
select database_name, type, backup_start_date, backup_finish_date
from msdb.dbo.backupset
order by database_name, type, backup_start_date, backup_finish_date
go
~~
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Conclusion
In short, the SQL server error 3023 occurs while trying to run a backup, shrink, or alter database command in SQL Server when a backup process is running in the server . Today, we saw how our Support Engineers fix this error.
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Today, I got below Microsoft SQL Server error 3023 when I was trying to manually shrink a log file. The error details are given below:
Shrink failed for LogFile ‘Logfile_Name”.
Backup, file manipulation operations (such as ALTER DATABASE ADD FILE) and encryption changes on a database must be serialized. Reissue the statement after the current backup or file manipulation operation is completed. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3023)
Here is the screenshot of this error:
We get this error when there is a conflict between backup operation and Shrink operation. SQL Server are designed to follow some rules during Backup and Shrink operations. These are given below:
- We can run only one database backup at a time. When a full database backup occurs, differential or incremental backups cannot occur at the same time.
- Only one log backup can happen at a time. A log backup is allowed when a full database backup is occurring.
- You cannot add or drop files to a database while a backup is occurring.
- You cannot shrink files while database backups are happening.
- There are limited recovery model changes allowed while backups are occurring.
When any of these conflicting operations are performed, the commands will be receiving the SQL Server error 3023, SQL Server error 3013 and SQL Server error 3041 messages.
You might also get below error when you perform another database backup if backup is already running for your database.
Msg 3013, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
BACKUP DATABASE is terminating abnormally.
Or if you try to run a differential backup for a database for which full backup is already running, you will get below error code:
Backup Error: 3041, Severity: 16, State: 1.
BACKUP failed to complete the command BACKUP DATABASE MyDatabase WITH DIFFERENTIAL. Check the backup application log for detailed messages.
Solution to fix such issues is to examine the schedules of the various database maintenance activities, and then adjust the schedules so that these operations or commands do not conflict with each other.
Make sure to not run any operation that will conflict with each other. If you get such errors check your SQL Server Agent jobs and wait till that job will be completed. In my case, database backup was running while I was trying to shrink a log file. I did wait for some time and then tried again to shrink that file and this time SQL Server allowed me to run this shrink operation.
Here, i have explained how to fix Microsoft SQL Server error 3023, error 3013 and error 3041. I hope you like this article. Please follow our Facebook page and Twitter handle to get latest updates.
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I am working as a Technical Architect in one of the top IT consulting firm. I have expertise on all versions of SQL Server since SQL Server 2000. I have lead multiple SQL Server projects like consolidation, upgrades, migrations, HA & DR. I love to share my knowledge. You can contact me on my social accounts for any consulting work.
Summary
Article Name
Fix Error 3023: Shrink failed for LogFile «Log File Name»
Description
Today, I got below error 3023 when I was trying to manually shrink a log file. The error details are given below: Shrink failed for LogFile ‘Logfile_Name».
Backup, file manipulation operations (such as ALTER DATABASE ADD FILE) and encryption changes on a database must be serialized. Reissue the statement after the current backup or file manipulation operation is completed. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3023)
Author
Manvendra Deo Singh
Publisher Name
www.techyaz.com
As part of our Server Support Services, we have solved numerous SQL related issues for our clients.
In this context , we shall look at the main causes of this error and how to fix SQL error 3023.
What causes SQL server error 3023?
The main cause of this error is when we are duplicating a backup process or when you are trying to run an alter action at the same time with an ongoing database backup process.
What to observer during if SQL server error 3023 occurs
When this error takes place, you should observe the following factors;
i. Whether there is another instance of a backup process at the same time of making another database backup action. It is important to note that only one backup process per database is allowed.
ii. Activities such as dropping tables or altering is not permitted during a backup process.
iii. Files cannot undergo shrinking when an backup process is in place.
iv. There can only be one log backup per database backup session. So duplicates at the same time is not allowed.
How to solve SQL server error 3023
In order to fix SQL 3023 error, we need to check whether there is an ongoing database upgrade process running. If there is, it is best to do a proper schedule arrangement so that two or more processed do not clash.
A very good approach is to check the error logs for more information to enable you have a clearer idea of what is going on.
You can use the following query command to debug the database backup history or status;
select database_name, type, backup_start_date, backup_finish_date
from msdb.dbo.backupset
order by database_name, type, backup_start_date, backup_finish_date
go
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February 12, 2014 by Muhammad Imran
Last weekend, my support engineer and I were at a client site to upgrade SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2012. Before proceeding with any activity, we tried to take a backup and got the given below error that I received it later by my support engineers as shown below.
Let me explain the error and its solution in details.
Message Number: 3023
Severity : 16
Error Message: Backup and file manipulation operations (such as ALTER DATABASE ADD FILE) on a database must be serialized. Reissue the statement after the current backup or file manipulation operation is completed.
Resolution:
If you look at the error description, it seems that there is a transaction going on in the background, and due to this reason SQL Server is not allowing us to take a backup or may be the database is corrupt. So we started doing our basic testing and it seems everything is fine. Then why SQL Server is not allowing us to take a backup ?
So, I thought of executing the given below query to check whether any backup or restore operation is in progress and I found that a scheduled backup was already in progress. Ooopss……….. So we waited for a while and took the backup again.
Conclusion:
Whenever you come across this error, you should check what the processes are in progress in SQL Server. It will give you a hint, why you are unable to take backup. In my case, a scheduled backup was in progress at the same time when I tried to take the backup.
Posted in Errors, SQL SERVER | Tagged Backup and file manipulation operations, Msg 3023 Level 16 State 1, raresql, SQL, SQL Server, SQL Server 2012 | Leave a Comment