The SQLServerAgent Error Log

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The SQLServerAgent service has its own error log that records the startup and shutdown of SQLServerAgent and any warnings, errors, and informational messages that occur related to a SQLServerAgent job or alert. To use the SQLServerAgent error log, follow these steps:

1. In Enterprise Manager, expand a server folder and expand the Management folder. Right-click SQL Server Agent and choose Display Error Log from the shortcut menu. The error log appears, as shown in Figure 31-24.
2. The Type drop-down list lets you view error messages, warning messages, informational messages, or all three (All Types). Figure 31-25 shows what the error log looks like just after SQLServerAgent is started. (Notice that All Types is selected in the Type drop-down list.)

   

   Figure 31-24. The SQL Server Agent Error Log dialog box.

   

   Figure 31-25. The SQL Server Agent Error Log dialog box, showing all types of messages.

3. Each time you start SQLServerAgent, the error log is restarted, overwriting any existing messages in the log. You can search for a message that contains a particular string by typing that string in the Containing Text text box and then pressing Enter or clicking Apply Filter. Figure 31-26 shows the error log after a search for the string "CPU."

   

   Figure 31-26. The results of a search for a string in the error log messages.

4. Double-click the message itself to view the SQL Server Agent Error Log Message dialog box, shown in Figure 31-27.

   

   Figure 31-27. The SQL Server Agent Error Log Message dialog box.

If more than one message results from the search, you can use the Next and Previous buttons to switch between messages. These buttons will be unavailable if only one message is found.

The SQLServerAgent error log receives an error message if an operator is not successfully reached for some reason or if a job cannot be run. You should check this error log occasionally to determine whether any errors have occurred that need to be addressed.