Critical Problem SQL Server 7.0 - Database Engine

We are a National Level Institutional Stock Broker in India providing trading platform to our Brokers to trade on Exchange nation-wide. We are using Compaq Proliant 8500 Serires computers in clusterd mode having RAM of 1.5 GB on each machine. We are using the Computer-To-Computer-Link (CTCL) solution / application for routing orders of brokers to the Stock Exchange. This application uses the SQL server 7.0 in clustered mode as back-end database on Windows NT Ver 4.0. On daily basis around 20,000 transactions are processed in the database.

Following are the Database Details
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1. Dat Size : 1890 MB
2. Log Size : 838 MB
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Total Size: 2728 MB

3. File growth options: Automated file growth, By percent : 10
4. Maximum File Size : Unrestricted file growth

On April 25, 2001, we found that application was not getting initialize, we (technical team) checked all the procedures, which are getting triggered at that particular time and found all of them were ok, but application did not started.

We also suspected that one of the procedure might have been corrupted, so we re-compiled all procedures which get triggered before starting the application. After havind done so, the application was still not getting initalized / started.

We also executed following commands:

1. DBCC CHECKDB to check inconsistancy, if any but found none (log is available)
2. DUMP TRAN with no_log (To clear transation logs)

We also executed procedures one after the other sequentially, which were being executed before the application starts after binding once again.

After having done this, we also suspected that the problem might have been with "SQL Server 7.0 database engine" and therefore decided to re-start the computers, after which we found that the applicatio started without any hindrance / errors.

This has raised some issues as follows:

1. Has the database corrupted ? If yes, weather it is possible to run DBCC CHECKDB, SQL queries on a corrupted database ?
2. Was there any systems environment failure ?
If so, is it possible to run DBCC CHECKDB, SQL queries on a corrupted
database?
3. Is there any possiblity of Database Engine failure?
What can be the consequeces on Database Engine failure ?
4. Is it possible that Database Engine Failure is the cause for our case ?

Our some of the engineers are of the opinion that the SQL server need to be shutdown and re-started periodically.
1. Will this in any way avoid such re-currance in the future?
2. If this is true, we would like to have your technical feedback as to why this is necessary?

Should you require any further clarification, I shall be glad to furnish it to you in this regard.

I request you to give your techical feed back on an urgent basis as our applications are CRITICAL and needs UTMOST CARE, hence needs consistancy of database.

I shall be glad to receive your feedback at
my e-mail: gchavan@iseindia.com or (+91)(022-781 2389).

Govind Chavan, Mumbai, INDIA