[dba-SQLServer] SQL Log file usage

I attempted to insert 150 million records into a table, from one database to another.  The 
destination table was empty but had a bunch of indexes on it.  I ran out of room on the log file 
disk and the process hung.

I ended up stripping off all of the indexes except the PK clustered index and the insert used less 
than 1/2 of the previous log file size for the insert.  Furthermore the build of the indexes as a 
second step is essentially not using the log file at all.

So the whole argument about "which is faster" also needs to include a component about log file 
usage.  I have no idea which would have been faster - with or without the indexes already in place - 
but in this case at least stripping off the indexes and building them after the fact seems to make 
the whole process work without a (log file size) hitch.

-- 
John W. Colby
Colby Consulting

Reality is what refuses to go away
when you do not believe in it