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I'm having problems with one of my SQL Server 2016 Standard servers. I have 8 production servers and this one is the only one who crashes randomly without having any trace in the log.

I have system_health enabled on it. I noticed that I have a row in system health witch is "sql_exit_invoked".

system_health_sql_exit_invoked

I'm trying to find more informations on that row. What does it means? The only info I found over the internet is that it happens when SQLExit() is called and that it's logged only since SQL 2012. (link available on msdn website )

sql_exit_description

So my question is : Should I worry to see this in my log? I find this only on my problematic server and not on any of the other 7 servers. (All of them are SQL Server 2016 Standard edition)

Can anybody give me more information on this?

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    Since the event is only generated at shutdown, perhaps it has rolled off of the other server traces? FYI, the possible values are FAST_SHUTDOWN, NICE_SHUTDOWN, ORDERLY_SHUTDOWN, SHUTDOWN_NOT_SET according to SELECT * FROM sys.dm_xe_map_values WHERE name = 'sql_shutdown_option';
    – Dan Guzman
    Dec 13 '18 at 15:12
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Extended Events are pretty poorly documented.

Debug channel extended events are even more poorly documented.

Based on my testing, you'll need to use the "shutdown_option" value from those event entries as a clue for where to look next. Here's what they mean in my limited testing:

  • ORDERLY_SHUTDOWN
    • restart or stop the service cleanly (using Config Manager, Services snap in, etc)
    • restart Windows cleanly (start menu -> shutdown / restart)
  • NICE_SHUTDOWN - stop the service using the SHUTDOWN; T-SQL command
  • FAST_SHUTDOWN - stop the service using the SHUTDOWN WITH NOWAIT; T-SQL command

Note that I also tried the following, and they did not register anything in the Extended Events session:

  • shutdown Windows by holding down the power button
  • kill the sqlservr.exe process from the Task Manager

I was unable to get the SHUTDOWN_NOT_SET version of the event to fire, so that one remains a mystery.

In your screenshot, I can see that ORDERLY_SHUTDOWN is the option in your scenario. In that case, since this seems to imply a clean shutdown of the service or Windows PC, I would look into the Windows Event Viewer "System" log and see why the machine is being restarted, or what service / component is issuing a SHUTDOWN command to the SQL Server serevice.

Good luck!

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    thanks, that helps me a lot! Then I know that in this particular case I don't need to worry since the OS was probably restarted (I'll validate that with the IT team)
    – Danielle Paquette-Harvey
    Dec 13 '18 at 16:50

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