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Database

Are there always 3 different files for the database with 3 different extensions. .ndf, .mdf, .ldf. Is this unusual and How do u identify your real database.

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kevin2me

.mdf is used for primary data files,

.ndf is used for the secondary data files,

.ldf is used for transaction log files.

Primary data files
The primary data file is the starting point of the database and points to the other files in the database. Every database has one primary data file. The recommended file name extension for primary data files is .mdf.
Secondary data files
Secondary data files make up all the data files, other than the primary data file. Some databases may not have any secondary data files, while others have several secondary data files. The recommended file name extension for secondary data files is .ndf.
Log files
Log files hold all the log information that is used to recover the database. There must be at least one log file for each database, although there can be more than one. The recommended file name extension for log files is .ldf.

Nearly all database I have ever worked with have just a MDF and LDF file.

MDF is where your actually DATA is stored.