Question about Delete and Latency

I am in the process of returning a machine running SQL Server back to
our provider. However, I don't want them to retrieve any of our data
stored in the DB. So I have the following 2 options
a) delete the rows from tables
b) remove the MDB file
Which of the options is better?
If I just delete the rows, will the SQL Server delete them from the
MDB file immediately?
If I remove the MDB file, can anyone put it back?
For instance, the Exchange Server use SQL Server and deleting a
mailbox will retain the data for about 14 days. Is there a similar
provision in SQL Server that retains the data. I don't want our
provider to retrieve any of the data.
Many thanks for reading and looking forward to repliesOn 18.05.2007 15:40, soup_or_power@.yahoo.com wrote:
> I am in the process of returning a machine running SQL Server back to
> our provider. However, I don't want them to retrieve any of our data
> stored in the DB. So I have the following 2 options
> a) delete the rows from tables
> b) remove the MDB file
> Which of the options is better?
> If I just delete the rows, will the SQL Server delete them from the
> MDB file immediately?
> If I remove the MDB file, can anyone put it back?
> For instance, the Exchange Server use SQL Server and deleting a
> mailbox will retain the data for about 14 days. Is there a similar
> provision in SQL Server that retains the data. I don't want our
> provider to retrieve any of the data.
> Many thanks for reading and looking forward to replies
Depends in what state you have to give the machine back. If you don't
need to care for OS then the most thorough and simple is probably to
boot the machine using Knoppix or a similar CD/DVD distro and use dd
if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda (for all disks) to erase all your hard disks.
Other than that there are special tools for safely erasing data, i.e.
you could overwrite your mdf and ldf files with zeros after you
deactivated your DB and before you drop the DB.
Kind regards
robert|||On May 18, 9:04 am, Robert Klemme <shortcut...@.googlemail.com> wrote:
> On 18.05.2007 15:40, soup_or_po...@.yahoo.com wrote:
>
>
> > I am in the process of returning a machine running SQL Server back to
> > our provider. However, I don't want them to retrieve any of our data
> > stored in the DB. So I have the following 2 options
> > a) delete the rows from tables
> > b) remove the MDB file
> > Which of the options is better?
> > If I just delete the rows, will the SQL Server delete them from the
> > MDB file immediately?
> > If I remove the MDB file, can anyone put it back?
> > For instance, the Exchange Server use SQL Server and deleting a
> > mailbox will retain the data for about 14 days. Is there a similar
> > provision in SQL Server that retains the data. I don't want our
> > provider to retrieve any of the data.
> > Many thanks for reading and looking forward to replies
> Depends in what state you have to give the machine back. If you don't
> need to care for OS then the most thorough and simple is probably to
> boot the machine using Knoppix or a similar CD/DVD distro and use dd
> if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda (for all disks) to erase all your hard disks.
> Other than that there are special tools for safely erasing data, i.e.
> you could overwrite your mdf and ldf files with zeros after you
> deactivated your DB and before you drop the DB.
> Kind regards
> robert- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
Hi Robert
Many thanks for your reply. Could you name the tools for safely
erasing data? Also how can I "deactive" the DB?
Regards|||On 18.05.2007 16:22, soup_or_power@.yahoo.com wrote:
> On May 18, 9:04 am, Robert Klemme <shortcut...@.googlemail.com> wrote:
>> On 18.05.2007 15:40, soup_or_po...@.yahoo.com wrote:
>>
>>
>> I am in the process of returning a machine running SQL Server back to
>> our provider. However, I don't want them to retrieve any of our data
>> stored in the DB. So I have the following 2 options
>> a) delete the rows from tables
>> b) remove the MDB file
>> Which of the options is better?
>> If I just delete the rows, will the SQL Server delete them from the
>> MDB file immediately?
>> If I remove the MDB file, can anyone put it back?
>> For instance, the Exchange Server use SQL Server and deleting a
>> mailbox will retain the data for about 14 days. Is there a similar
>> provision in SQL Server that retains the data. I don't want our
>> provider to retrieve any of the data.
>> Many thanks for reading and looking forward to replies
>> Depends in what state you have to give the machine back. If you don't
>> need to care for OS then the most thorough and simple is probably to
>> boot the machine using Knoppix or a similar CD/DVD distro and use dd
>> if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda (for all disks) to erase all your hard disks.
>> Other than that there are special tools for safely erasing data, i.e.
>> you could overwrite your mdf and ldf files with zeros after you
>> deactivated your DB and before you drop the DB.
>> Kind regards
>> robert- Hide quoted text -
>> - Show quoted text -
> Hi Robert
> Many thanks for your reply. Could you name the tools for safely
> erasing data?
I don't have names. You will have to look for yourself. Sorry.
> Also how can I "deactive" the DB?
EM -> select DB -> all tasks -> detach database
robert|||"Robert Klemme" <shortcutter@.googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:5b5s08F2g0fupU1@.mid.individual.net...
> On 18.05.2007 16:22, soup_or_power@.yahoo.com wrote:
>> On May 18, 9:04 am, Robert Klemme <shortcut...@.googlemail.com> wrote:
>> On 18.05.2007 15:40, soup_or_po...@.yahoo.com wrote:
>>
>>
>> I am in the process of returning a machine running SQL Server back to
>> our provider. However, I don't want them to retrieve any of our data
>> stored in the DB. So I have the following 2 options
>> a) delete the rows from tables
>> b) remove the MDB file
>> Which of the options is better?
>> If I just delete the rows, will the SQL Server delete them from the
>> MDB file immediately?
>> If I remove the MDB file, can anyone put it back?
>> For instance, the Exchange Server use SQL Server and deleting a
>> mailbox will retain the data for about 14 days. Is there a similar
>> provision in SQL Server that retains the data. I don't want our
>> provider to retrieve any of the data.
>> Many thanks for reading and looking forward to replies
>> Depends in what state you have to give the machine back. If you don't
>> need to care for OS then the most thorough and simple is probably to
>> boot the machine using Knoppix or a similar CD/DVD distro and use dd
>> if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda (for all disks) to erase all your hard disks.
>> Other than that there are special tools for safely erasing data, i.e.
>> you could overwrite your mdf and ldf files with zeros after you
>> deactivated your DB and before you drop the DB.
>> Kind regards
>> robert- Hide quoted text -
>> - Show quoted text -
>> Hi Robert
>> Many thanks for your reply. Could you name the tools for safely
>> erasing data?
> I don't have names. You will have to look for yourself. Sorry.
>> Also how can I "deactive" the DB?
> EM -> select DB -> all tasks -> detach database
>
Note that will leave the MDF and LDF files still on the server.
he's better of DELETING the database (assuming he can't format the drive or
something like that.)
> robert
--
Greg Moore
SQL Server DBA Consulting Remote and Onsite available!
Email: sql (at) greenms.com http://www.greenms.com/sqlserver.html|||On 19.05.2007 16:08, Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote:
> "Robert Klemme" <shortcutter@.googlemail.com> wrote in message
> news:5b5s08F2g0fupU1@.mid.individual.net...
>> On 18.05.2007 16:22, soup_or_power@.yahoo.com wrote:
>> On May 18, 9:04 am, Robert Klemme <shortcut...@.googlemail.com> wrote:
>> On 18.05.2007 15:40, soup_or_po...@.yahoo.com wrote:
>>
>>
>> I am in the process of returning a machine running SQL Server back to
>> our provider. However, I don't want them to retrieve any of our data
>> stored in the DB. So I have the following 2 options
>> a) delete the rows from tables
>> b) remove the MDB file
>> Which of the options is better?
>> If I just delete the rows, will the SQL Server delete them from the
>> MDB file immediately?
>> If I remove the MDB file, can anyone put it back?
>> For instance, the Exchange Server use SQL Server and deleting a
>> mailbox will retain the data for about 14 days. Is there a similar
>> provision in SQL Server that retains the data. I don't want our
>> provider to retrieve any of the data.
>> Many thanks for reading and looking forward to replies
>> Depends in what state you have to give the machine back. If you don't
>> need to care for OS then the most thorough and simple is probably to
>> boot the machine using Knoppix or a similar CD/DVD distro and use dd
>> if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda (for all disks) to erase all your hard disks.
>> Other than that there are special tools for safely erasing data, i.e.
>> you could overwrite your mdf and ldf files with zeros after you
>> deactivated your DB and before you drop the DB.
>> Kind regards
>> robert- Hide quoted text -
>> - Show quoted text -
>> Hi Robert
>> Many thanks for your reply. Could you name the tools for safely
>> erasing data?
>> I don't have names. You will have to look for yourself. Sorry.
>> Also how can I "deactive" the DB?
>> EM -> select DB -> all tasks -> detach database
> Note that will leave the MDF and LDF files still on the server.
> he's better of DELETING the database (assuming he can't format the drive or
> something like that.)
Yes, I know. That was just the explanation of *one* of the steps (see
my earlier posting).
robert