database replication - Don't quite understand SQL Server transaction logs -

i've read on sql server transaction logs, still not entirely comfortable how use/manage them. important things transaction rollbacks, mirroring, replication , log shipping etc.

to me, still seem black box , i'm not entirely comfortable doing them. there tools allow me view transaction log file or information it? if don't need things transaction log shipping, ok me shrink and/or truncate log files periodically? particularly in case of restoring backups onto test instance - need multi-gigabyte log file taking space? other features need aware of have particular dependency on transaction logs , not work if shrank/truncated log files?

as general rule should not need 'do' transaction logs except ensure don't big. while possible read them log mining tools rare , and until comfortable other aspects of dba role, don't concern it.

they black box , work fine that.

you should select recovery model suits business needs. involve determining if need point in time recovery, if "full recovery model" else "simple recovery model".

if use full recovery model need backup db on occasion (daily or weekly , differentials common options here) , transaction logs each 15 minutes, hour couple of hours depending on volumne of transactions, space available , maximum amount of data can afford lose in worst case scenario.

if use simple recovery backup db on occasion understand cannot point in time recovery.

it's common have "full recovery model" in prod , "simple recovery model" in dev , test. have identify particular needs , make decision yourself.

the safest way 'shrink' transaction logs manage backups never have explicitly so.

read on recovery models , feel free ask follow questions.