AutoStop connection parameter [ASTOP]

Controls whether a database is stopped when there are no more open non-HTTP connections.

Usage

Embedded databases

Values

YES, NO

Default

YES

Remarks

By default, any database server that is started from a connection string is stopped when there are no more non-HTTP connections to it. As well, any database that is loaded from a connection string is unloaded when there are no more non-HTTP connections to it. This behavior is equivalent to AutoStop=YES.

If you supply AutoStop=NO, any database that you start in that connection remains running when there are no more non-HTTP connections to it. As a result, the database server remains operational as well.

If the only connection to a database is an HTTP connection, and the database is configured to stop automatically, when the HTTP connection disconnects, the database does not autostop. As well, if a database that is configured to stop automatically has an HTTP connection and a command sequence or TDS connection, when the last command sequence or TDS connection disconnects, the database autostops, and any HTTP connections are dropped. See -ga server option and AutoStop connection parameter [ASTOP].

The AutoStop (ASTOP) connection parameter is used only if you are connecting to a database that is not currently running. It is ignored if the database is already started.

In .NET applications, you should be careful when using the AutoStop connection parameter. Closing a connection will close it as far as the application is concerned, but active connections remain open when connection pooling is enabled. As a result the server does not shut down, even though you may expect it to do so.