Migrating SQL Server

Hey guys,

We're planning on migrating one of our SQL Servers (SQL Server 2000
SP4 w/ Reporting Services) from a physical computer to a new VM. Part
of the move is upgrading the OS from Win2K to 2k3, as well as
expanding the size of the disks the data is stored on, so a simple P2V
conversion is out.

Rather than going through a complete Backup / Restore of all the
databases (this is our misc server, and has about 30 different
databases on it), can I just install Sql Server, stop the Sql server,
replace the default master, msdb, model, and temp databases with the
ones copied from the original server, copy the user databases to the
same file paths as the original, and start it all up and be good to
go? Or will I have to do a formal restore of the system databases
(system databases are in their original locations)?

Thanks,
Evan

While you can do that, I'd advise not to use SQL Server inside a virtual
machine, except for development purposes.

--
Tom

----------------------------------------------------
Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA, MCITP, MCTS
SQL Server MVP
Toronto, ON Canada
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Tom.Moreau


"Evan M." wrote in message
news:3b420369-3780-40e8-802f-bf9a6fa3c34b-at-v57g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
Hey guys,

We're planning on migrating one of our SQL Servers (SQL Server 2000
SP4 w/ Reporting Services) from a physical computer to a new VM. Part
of the move is upgrading the OS from Win2K to 2k3, as well as
expanding the size of the disks the data is stored on, so a simple P2V
conversion is out.

Rather than going through a complete Backup / Restore of all the
databases (this is our misc server, and has about 30 different
databases on it), can I just install Sql Server, stop the Sql server,
replace the default master, msdb, model, and temp databases with the
ones copied from the original server, copy the user databases to the
same file paths as the original, and start it all up and be good to
go? Or will I have to do a formal restore of the system databases
(system databases are in their original locations)?

Thanks,
Evan

Any particular reason? This is a very lightly used box, so I'm not
really concerned with the performance aspect. Some of the numbers from
our last audit (over 30 days, including month end):
%Disk Time: Business Hours Average 0.05%, Total Avg 0.34%, High hour
4AM (daily backup)
%Processor Time; BHA 1.42%, TA 6.02%, HH 3PM
Memory (2GB) Faults/sec: BHA 30.01, TA 37.71, HH 4AM

Thanks,
Evan

On Aug 27, 9:17*am, "Tom Moreau" wrote:
> While you can do that, I'd advise not to use SQL Server inside a virtual
> machine, except for development purposes.
>
> --
> * *Tom

We've had a lot of discussion in the MVP newsgroup on this. Most have had
problems. Is it possible to migrate this to another server as just another
instance on that server?

Check out:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956262
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/897613


--
Tom

----------------------------------------------------
Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA, MCITP, MCTS
SQL Server MVP
Toronto, ON Canada
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Tom.Moreau


"Evan M." wrote in message
news:a45da3d1-40e5-4ad8-8c73-597b1c90d822-at-l42g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
Any particular reason? This is a very lightly used box, so I'm not
really concerned with the performance aspect. Some of the numbers from
our last audit (over 30 days, including month end):
%Disk Time: Business Hours Average 0.05%, Total Avg 0.34%, High hour
4AM (daily backup)
%Processor Time; BHA 1.42%, TA 6.02%, HH 3PM
Memory (2GB) Faults/sec: BHA 30.01, TA 37.71, HH 4AM

Thanks,
Evan

On Aug 27, 9:17 am, "Tom Moreau" wrote:
> While you can do that, I'd advise not to use SQL Server inside a virtual
> machine, except for development purposes.
>
> --
> Tom

What sort of problems? I've been running SQL Server Dev on a VM for
over a year with no problems. In terms of support, isn't this now
resolved now that VMware has joined MS's SVVP program?

As for another location, that's not possible. Our other SQL Server is
a 2005 instance that's already a VM.

On Aug 27, 9:55*am, "Tom Moreau" wrote:
> We've had a lot of discussion in the MVP newsgroup on this. *Most have had
> problems. *Is it possible to migrate this to another server as just another
> instance on that server?
>
> Check out:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/9562....com/kb/897613
>
> --
> * *Tom

Here's an example:

http://scottf.wordpress.com:80/2007/...vmware-server/

--
Tom

----------------------------------------------------
Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA, MCITP, MCTS
SQL Server MVP
Toronto, ON Canada
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Tom.Moreau


"Evan M." wrote in message
news:0c08975f-bfe9-4f1d-add0-cf1515417c41-at-b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
What sort of problems? I've been running SQL Server Dev on a VM for
over a year with no problems. In terms of support, isn't this now
resolved now that VMware has joined MS's SVVP program?

As for another location, that's not possible. Our other SQL Server is
a 2005 instance that's already a VM.

On Aug 27, 9:55 am, "Tom Moreau" wrote:
> We've had a lot of discussion in the MVP newsgroup on this. Most have had
> problems. Is it possible to migrate this to another server as just another
> instance on that server?
>
> Check out:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/9562....com/kb/897613
>
> --
> Tom

Thanks for the heads up. I guess it's a good thing that it's an ESX
3.5 we're moving this to.

Unfortunately, we're fully committed to moving this machine to a VM.
The existing hardware is out of warranty, and scheduled for
decommission shortly. I'll jsut have to keep and eye out for errors,
and will keep the VM environment in mind when troubleshooting.

Thanks,
Evan

On Aug 27, 10:57*am, "Tom Moreau" wrote:
> Here's an example:
>
> http://scottf.wordpress.com:80/2007/...vmware-server/
>
> --
> * *Tom
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA, MCITP, MCTS
> SQL Server MVP
> Toronto, ON * Canadahttps://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Tom.Moreau
>
> "Evan M." wrote in message
>
> news:0c08975f-bfe9-4f1d-add0-cf1515417c41-at-b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> What sort of problems? I've been running SQL Server Dev on a VM for
> over a year with no problems. In terms of support, isn't this now
> resolved now that VMware has joined MS's SVVP program?
>
> As for another location, that's not possible. Our other SQL Server is
> a 2005 instance that's already a VM.
>
> On Aug 27, 9:55 am, "Tom Moreau" wrote:
>
>
>
> > We've had a lot of discussion in the MVP newsgroup on this. Most have had
> > problems. Is it possible to migrate this to another server as just another
> > instance on that server?
>
> > Check out:
>
> >http://support.microsoft.com/kb/9562...crosoft.com/kb...
>
> > --
> > Tom- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I like the last point in the link you provided:

"You can do awesome stuff with virtual machines that you just can’t even
consider unless you have lab hardware coming out your ears and an army of lab
monkeys to help you"


"Tom Moreau" wrote:

> Here's an example:
>
> http://scottf.wordpress.com:80/2007/...vmware-server/
>
> --
> Tom
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA, MCITP, MCTS
> SQL Server MVP
> Toronto, ON Canada
> https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Tom.Moreau
>
>
> "Evan M." wrote in message
> news:0c08975f-bfe9-4f1d-add0-cf1515417c41-at-b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> What sort of problems? I've been running SQL Server Dev on a VM for
> over a year with no problems. In terms of support, isn't this now
> resolved now that VMware has joined MS's SVVP program?
>
> As for another location, that's not possible. Our other SQL Server is
> a 2005 instance that's already a VM.
>
> On Aug 27, 9:55 am, "Tom Moreau" wrote:
> > We've had a lot of discussion in the MVP newsgroup on this. Most have had
> > problems. Is it possible to migrate this to another server as just another
> > instance on that server?
> >
> > Check out:
> >
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/9562....com/kb/897613
> >
> > --
> > Tom
>
>