WSS_Content contains?

Question

WSS 3.0:Windows2003

I have a content database that keeps growing for the name of simply, "WSS_Content"

This database is aside from all the other content databases that are linked to an web application, but located in the same directory. I count 5 CONTENT databases on this directory, but only 4 web applications (excluding the centraladmin). Trouble is it keeps growing in size and I need to know what it is and why its growing. Is this a default database of some kind? Where and why would it grow?

I recently found, through Central Administration, that one of my sites has a content database name of

"WSS_Content_(random numbers and letters)"

whereas, the other content databases would have a name like

"WSS_Content_(WebApplicationName)"

What gives?

Solution

An easy way to see all your databases (and what web application they belong to) is to go to Central Admin -> Operations -> Perform a Backup.

This will give you a tree view of your farm with all of the databases listed.

Comments

[Mike]

I found the problem. The "WSS" in "WSS_Content" through me off, it was located on another web application on another server. Will deleting sites/document libraries and files downsize this database, or will that do minimal damage?

[Mike]

There is nothing linked to WSS_Content though..hmmm...

[Mike]

That a good reference, but I just want to know what WSS_Content is, and how can I downsize it without SQL, example being, expiration policy.

[MattB]

@Mike: then you have something wacky going on. (That is the technical term...) I would probably run a SQL Profiler trace to see where the connections to WSS_Content are coming from.

[Mike]

WSS_Content was referencing a MOSS Web App (different server), that's where I got confused...

[Sean Howat]

I'm assuming that your WSS_CONTENT database is the one that's created upon installation of SharePoint. That's the most likely one to not have been named. I've found the databases for SharePoint do tend to grow a lot and I haven't found much I can do to limit it. My one suggestion would be to ensure that you're taking log backups. If you're not the log files will grow to be very large. Regular log backups won't make your database any smaller but it will clear out the unused space in your log so it doesn't grow any more than it needs to.