[SQL Server 2000] How to Interpret Server Trace / How to Get More Details?

Hello all,

An application that i wrote (that interacts with SQL Server 2000) is causing deadlocks on the server. i have no direct access to the server, but the user have sent me a server trace.

The relevant part of the trace is:

Code Snippet

2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 End deadlock search 296 ... a deadlock was found.
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: S SPID:116 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC62A54F8) Value:0x80
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Victim Resource Owner:
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: IX SPID:122 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC61DF4F8) Value:0xa
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Requested By:
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Input Buf: RPC Event: sp_execute;1
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 SPID: 116 ECID: 0 Statement Type: UPDATE Line #: 1
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Owner:0x8849cba0 Mode: X Flg:0x0 Ref:2 Life:02000000 SPID:116 ECID:0
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Grant List 0::
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 PAG: 12:1:42176 CleanCnt:2 Mode: X Flags: 0x2
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Node:2
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: S SPID:116 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC62A54F8) Value:0x80
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Requested By:
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Input Buf: RPC Event: sp_execute;1
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 SPID: 122 ECID: 0 Statement Type: INSERT Line #: 1
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Owner:0x800936e0 Mode: IX Flg:0x0 Ref:0 Life:02000000 SPID:122 ECID:0
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Grant List 2::
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 PAG: 12:1:42157 CleanCnt:2 Mode: IX Flags: 0x0
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Node:1
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Wait-for graph
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 ...
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Cycle: ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: S SPID:116 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC62A54F8) Va
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Node:2 ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: IX SPID:122 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC61DF4F8) V
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Node:1 ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: S SPID:116 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC62A54F8) Va
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Deadlock cycle was encountered .... verifying cycle
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Cycle: ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: S SPID:116 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC62A54F8) Va
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Node:2 ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: IX SPID:122 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC61DF4F8) V
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Node:1 ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: S SPID:116 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC62A54F8) Va
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 ResType:LockOwner Stype:'OR' Mode: S SPID:116 ECID:0 Ec:(0xC62A54F8) Value:0x80
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Target Resource Owner:
2007-04-04 11:29:13.01 spid4 Starting deadlock search 296

Having very little experience with SQL Server 2000, all that i learn from the trace is that, well, there is a deadlock, but i had already known that beforehand.

What other useful details can be interpreted from the trace above?
How can i obtain information like the specific statement(s) which cause the deadlock, etc?

Thanks in Advance,
Edwin

Not sure if you have the complete information in your snippet...having a running Profiler trace that captures the relevant time period can be helpful. That will be the only way to see the specific statements.

SPIDs 116 and 122 deadlocked with each other. 116 was running an UPDATE and 122 was trying to INSERT. 122 was chosen as the victim (SQL will generally choose the SPID with the fewest resources to minimize rollback time). Your app should detect and trap error 1205 and re-submit the deadlocked query.

Minimizing deadlocks from within the database will almost always come down to tweaking your indexes. It is hard to comment further without knowing your schema for the table in question. Your open transactions should be kept as short as possible too.

-Michael