Migration

Question

Dear All,

I did the migration from SQL2000 to SQL 2008 Servers both are virtual. Now we need to take the SQL 2008 Production server online. What are the steps do I need to take it online. I already restored all the databases a week ago from older server to new environment.

So to finalize the server online, please help me how to complete the final part.

I really appreciate everyone to share your comments with me.

Thanks

---

DBA

Answer 1

If you restored from your old server a week back and your new server was not brought online after the restores, then the data in the new server is already stale (assuming your old server is still online).  Here is how to minimize your upgrade downtime window:

1. To minimize downtime, you should backup and restore all the DBs from the old server to the new server in NORECOVERY mode prior to the upgrade  (make sure you don't have another full backup planned before the upgrade window)
2. During the final migration window, stop the application on the old server
3. Take a final differential backup of all DBs on the source server
4. Apply the differentials from the source server to the destination server with RECOVERY
5. After that, you can change connection strings/config files to point your application to the new server

---

Satish Kartan www.sqlfood.com

Answer 2

I hope you have complete all these below steps already ?  if not please do the below...

1. Take Full backups of all System and Application databases on your 2000 machine.
2. Script all logins  -- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918992
3. Script all jobs
4. List out all Maintenance plans and their schedules -- You cant migrate so you have to create them manually
5. List out all Linked server(s) currently being used.
6. Check the service pack
7. Check the Edition
8. document the existing server settings so that it should match the same (collation,version,...)

Migration process
---------------------
1. Migrate logins
2. Restore all App databases
3. Fix the orphan users
4. create the jobs
5. create maintenance plans
6. create Linked Servers
7. perform checkdb on all databases
8. rebuild indexes
9. update the statistics
10.move all the DTS / SSIS packages
11. Point the application to new server
12. Testing ....  Change all the application connection string to new server and then start the testing then finally if everything looks good then you can down the sql 2000 server and start using new server 2008 or later...

Few points to note :

Configure memory correctly, Tempdb ( Based on the server load and more ), keep data and log ( mdf, ndf, ldf ) in different lcoations.. and put tempdb in diff physical disk with raid 10 preferrably, and configure the growth of the database correctly and more....

Use upgrade Advisor..

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms144256.aspx

sql 2000 to 2008 migration...

http://blogs.technet.com/b/mdegre/archive/2009/07/21/migration-sql-server-2000-to-sql-server-2008.aspx

Supported versions..

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143393.aspx

Use BPA to check everything is configured correctly...

http://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/download/details.aspx?id=15289

---

Raju Rasagounder Sr MSSQL DBA