WSS 3.0:Windows2003
I have a content database that keeps growing for the name of simply, "WSS_Content"
This database is aside from all the other content databases that are linked to an web application, but located in the same directory. I count 5 CONTENT databases on this directory, but only 4 web applications (excluding the centraladmin). Trouble is it keeps growing in size and I need to know what it is and why its growing. Is this a default database of some kind? Where and why would it grow?
I recently found, through Central Administration, that one of my sites has a content database name of
"WSS_Content_(random numbers and letters)"
whereas, the other content databases would have a name like
"WSS_Content_(WebApplicationName)"
What gives?
An easy way to see all your databases (and what web application they belong to) is to go to Central Admin -> Operations -> Perform a Backup.
This will give you a tree view of your farm with all of the databases listed.
I believe that SharePoint just puts a string of random numbers and letters after the WSS_Content db if you don't provide a name upon creation. Our SharePoint site was originally set up by a contractor and the default content db has the same random string you are talking about. I was not involved in the setup so I'm not sure what was done but my new web applications have proper names.
This technet blog covers the topic of sorting them out.
Edit: After reading through some of the subsequent articles on the link I provided it turns out that the admin content database doesn't give you an option to name it so it would automatically just be given a GUID. This could very well be the database you are seeing.
Use the following code to see which table is the problem, and take action on the table. In my case, it was eventcache and eventlog that were causing the problems and I just had to run the timer job
change log
manually from sharepoint central administration.WSS_Content is (here) a database from SharePoint 2010 installation.
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/6117.sharepoint-2010-database-anatomy/revision/1.aspx
and according to: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/sharepoint/en-US/328c534e-7180-4e4f-b715-12bf812bbfa9/sharepoint-databases