What is the LDF file in SQL Server? what is its purpose?
can I safely delete it? or reduce its size because sometimes it's 10x larger than the database file mdf.
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The LDF file holds the database transaction log. See, for example, http://www.databasedesign-resource.com/sql-server-transaction-log.html for a full explanation. There are ways to shrink the transaction file; for example, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/873235.
The LDF stand for 'Log database file' and it is the transaction log. It keeps a record of everything done to the database for rollback purposes, you can restore a database even you lost .msf file because it contain all control information plus transaction information .
LDF holds the transaction log. If you set your backups correctly - it will be small. It it grows - you have a very common problem of setting database recovery mode to FULL and then forgetting to backup the transaction log (LDF file). Let me explain how to fix it.
Some would suggest to use SHRINKFILE to trim you log. Note that this is OK only as an exception. If you do it regularly, it defeats the purpose of FULL recovery model: first you go into trouble of saving every single change in the log, then you just dump it. Set recovery mode to SIMPLE instead.
The LDF is the transaction log. It keeps a record of everything done to the database for rollback purposes.
You do not want to delete, but you can shrink it with the dbcc shrinkfile
command. You can also right-click on the database in SQL Server Management Studio and go to Tasks > Shrink.
Source: Stackoverflow.com