SQL SERVER � Automatic Seeding of Availability Database �SQLAGDB� in Availability

Group �AG� Failed With a Transient Error. The Operation Will be Retried
June 29, 2019
Pinal Dave
SQL
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Earlier I have written few blogs about automatic seeding feature. In this blog we
would learn how to fix error: Automatic seeding of availability database �SQLAGDB�
in availability group �AG� failed with a transient error.

SQL SERVER - Automatic Seeding of Availability Database 'SQLAGDB' in Availability

Group 'AG' Failed With a Transient Error. The Operation Will be Retried automatic-
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Here are my earlier blogs about seeding failures.

SQL SERVER � AlwaysOn Automatic Seeding � Database Stuck in Restoring State

SQL SERVER � AlwaysOn Automatic Seeding Failure � Failure_code 15 and

Failure_message: VDI Client Failed

Solarwinds
In both scenarios, the database was started to restore, and it failed in the middle
due to which it was in �Restoring� state. But in my client�s situation, the
database was not getting listed in the databases folder in SSMS.

Automatic Seeding and Error

Here is the way to reproduce the error

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CREATE DATABASE [SQLAuthority]
ON PRIMARY
(NAME = 'SQLAuthority', FILENAME = 'C:\Temp\SQLAuthority.mdf')
LOG ON
(NAME = 'SQLAuthority_log', FILENAME = 'C:\Temp\SQLAuthority_log.ldf')
GO
ALTER DATABASE SQLAuthority ADD FILE
(NAME = 'SQLAuthority_D1', FILENAME = 'C:\Temp\D1.ndf')
GO
ALTER DATABASE SQLAuthority ADD LOG FILE
(NAME = 'SQLAuthority_L1', FILENAME = 'C:\Temp\L1.ndf'),
(NAME = 'SQLAuthority_L1', FILENAME = 'C:\Temp\L2.ndf')
GO
BACKUP DATABASE SQLAuthority TO DISK = 'SQLAuthority.bak'
This would create a database with two physical transaction log files with a same
logical name. Once done, use Automatic Seeding and add a database to the
availability group. It is not going to fail from the UI. Here is what you would
see.

SQL SERVER - Automatic Seeding of Availability Database 'SQLAGDB' in Availability

Group 'AG' Failed With a Transient Error. The Operation Will be Retried file-name-
seed-err-01

If you investigate and look at ERRORLOG file on secondary, here are the failure

Error: 911, Severity: 16, State: 1.

Database �SQLAuthority� does not exist. Make sure that the name is entered
correctly.
Error: 4353, Severity: 16, State: 1.
Conflicting file relocations have been specified for file �SQLAuthority_L1�. Only a
single WITH MOVE clause should be specified for any logical file name.
Error: 3013, Severity: 16, State: 1.
RESTORE DATABASE is terminating abnormally.
Automatic seeding of availability database �SQLAuthority� in availability group
�SQLAUTH-AG� failed with a transient error. The operation will be retried.
This was a coincidence that I have written a blog about this error in a standalone
scenario.

SQL SERVER � FIX: Msg 4353 � Conflicting File Relocations Have Been Specified for
File. Only a Single WITH MOVE Clause Should be Specified for Any Logical File Name

I looked at the database and there were no duplicate logical names! I asked about
this history of the database and if there was any file added and later removed and
the answer was �Yes�.

WORKAROUND/SOLUTION
I tried a lot of things, removing files completely, breaking AG, removing the
database from AG. But none worked. I was not able to add the database to AG.

Finally, I used the workaround given in my blog to rename the logical file to some
new name.

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USE [SQLAuthority]
GO
ALTER DATABASE [SQLAuthority] MODIFY FILE (NAME=N'SQLAuthority_L1',
NEWNAME=N'SQLAuthority_L2')
GO
Once the command was executed, I was able to add the database to AG via automatic
seeding. Hopefully, Microsoft would see this blog and fix duplicate logical file
name issue. Until then you can use a workaround.