November 9, 2015 at 12:00 pm
I am planning a move of one of my servers from a Physical Server to a Virtual Server... I would like to make it as transparent as possible to my users.. Meaning I want to keep the same IP address and Server name etc. I am also Looking for a minimal downtime as possible... the server has 100 to 120 databases ranging from a few megs to close to a terabyte of data in a database.
Any Recommendation on what would be the bast way to do this?
I am sure there are many different way to do it pros and cons of one verses the other?
Thanks In Advance.....
November 9, 2015 at 12:44 pm
1. Build the new server offline
2. Stop all applications/users that use the database
3. Backup databases and restore to new server
4. take old server offline
5. Bring New Server online and test
6. Backout would be going back to the old server if any issues.
I am sure someone can do even better that this.
November 9, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Plonker
You also need to transfer the logins.
November 10, 2015 at 1:45 am
alnoor (11/9/2015)
PlonkerYou also need to transfer the logins.
3. Backup databases and restore to new server
What DB do you think the logins are stored?
"The master database contains all of the system level information for SQL Server – all of the logins, linked servers, endpoints, and other system-wide configuration settings"
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"The problem with internet quotes is that you cant always depend on their accuracy" -Abraham Lincoln, 1864
November 10, 2015 at 11:59 am
Microsoft web site sir
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918992
all instructions and scrips are there for Logins transfer
November 10, 2015 at 1:40 pm
what else do you want to transfer ?- From Microsoft web site
To move jobs, alerts, and operators, follow these steps:
Open the SQL Server Enterprise Manager, and then expand the Management folder.
Expand SQL Server Agent, and then right-click Alerts, Jobs, or Operators.
Click All Tasks, and then click Generate SQL Script. For SQL Server 7.0, click Script All Jobs, Alerts, or Operators.
You will have the option to generate scripts for All Alerts, All Jobs, or All Operators based on the item that you right-click.
You can move jobs, alerts, and operators from SQL Server 7.0 to SQL Server 2000 or between computer servers that are running SQL Server 7.0 and SQL Server 2000.
If you have operators that are set up for notification by SQLMail on the source server, you have to set up SQLMail on the destination server to have the same functionality. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
263556 How to configure SQL Mail
November 10, 2015 at 1:59 pm
I was look for something more like log shipping o Mirroring to solve this. I hope it to have minimum down time and minimum impact on the users of these database. doing a backup and restore would take hours of down time for the server. Thanks for all your recommendations so far....
November 10, 2015 at 2:52 pm
in that case may be you should be looking at migrating the entire server
clone physical server to virtual server (Not a DBA task) where I am.
November 17, 2015 at 11:26 am
There are a few options on the table. Log shipping was one of them as well as mirroring. However I chose a different approach. My reason were because I did not want to make any changes to the Production databases or the server and most of the 120 databases we in simple recover mode and to use Log Shipping They need to be in full recovery mode. Here are my high level steps:
1.) I created my new V server
2.) I loaded on my SQL Server (2008 Enterprise) updated & patch to match the current physical server.
3.) I backup the Master and Model and MSDB system database on both servers.
4.) I restored those on the V-Server and ensured the server was functional. the only errors I should get is that for the MDF and LDF for user database.
5.) I made sure all my drives for files replicated the physical server so no changes to the location of files were necessary.
6.) Using DISK Shadow I shadowed my Drives that stores the MDF and LDF file so I could copy them over.
a.) This is the greatest tool ever to prevent taking down my 120 production server.
b.) this read only shadow copy was updated nightly so I updated my v-server nightly as well to keep it current.
7.) I Used ROBOCOPY to copy over the file that is pretty efficient.
8.) start up the server and ensure everything was up and running and error free. Post migration day work completed.
On Migration day
9.) I took the production server offline
10.) On the V-Server do a final copy of the User database LDF and MDF files
11.) Check to make sure there were no errors and all the database were online and everything was working.
12.) On the Physical server I change the name and IP address.
13.) on the V-server I Change the name and IP address to match what the production server was.
14) Migration was transparent to users.
This worked pretty sweet.... and Users were very happy with the results.
November 17, 2015 at 2:21 pm
We do the same except EXCEPT:
Run a full backup on the old server and run a full restore with norecovery on the new server.
Then run your normal nightly diff backups and at cutover time have a script ready to alter each DB to single user mode, run another diff backup then place the db off-line. On the new server run the diff restore with recovery to bring the DB online. Then after you are sure everything works re-ip and then re-name the servers.
Don't forget to correct the internal local sql server name (Select @@Servername) on the new server before turning it back over to the users.
We have an extensive checklist for this type of server migration (and use it for server upgrades to a new version of Windows and SQL/Server too).
November 18, 2015 at 8:49 am
If you are changing the name of the server you need to dropserver/addserver.
--These Steps are needed after you rename the new server to the existing server name
sp_dropserver 'ServerName_New';
GO
sp_addserver 'ServerName_Existing', local;
GO
--restart SQL
--This command should return: ServerName_Existing
SELECT @@SERVERNAME
November 19, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Sorry if I missed some info previously stated. Without knowing the type of virtual system you are migrating to, I offer these options:
As others have suggested, do yourself a big favor and just migrate the server to either HyperV (Microsoft) or Vsphere (VMware)-whichever your company is favoring.
VMware offers a free converter- VMware converter (free)
Microsoft offers a P2v converter in their free Sysinternals utility: Disk2vhd
Also, Microsoft's System Center Virtual Machine Manager can migrate from Physical to HyperV.
Those are the two most common scenarios that allow you to "clone" your physical server to a virtual server.
There are other tools out there as well that are mainly used for DR purposes but function nicely as cloning tools, too. The most common is DoubleTake software by Vision solutions.
Good Luck!
November 24, 2015 at 10:16 am
My Migration was 100% success!!!! It took a little longer about 1 hour of down time was incurred but to be able to start up the services after my process previously outlined was completed and see all green lights!!!!! I could have gone back to bed and sleep for a few hours contented on a sunday morning.... Big thanks to Geoff Ruble and his documentation of the process and in another topic!!!!
November 25, 2015 at 2:08 am
stan.kappiris (11/19/2015)
Sorry if I missed some info previously stated. Without knowing the type of virtual system you are migrating to, I offer these options:As others have suggested, do yourself a big favor and just migrate the server to either HyperV (Microsoft) or Vsphere (VMware)-whichever your company is favoring.
VMware offers a free converter- VMware converter (free)
Microsoft offers a P2v converter in their free Sysinternals utility: Disk2vhd
Also, Microsoft's System Center Virtual Machine Manager can migrate from Physical to HyperV.
Those are the two most common scenarios that allow you to "clone" your physical server to a virtual server.
There are other tools out there as well that are mainly used for DR purposes but function nicely as cloning tools, too. The most common is DoubleTake software by Vision solutions.
Good Luck!
Good advice Stan
please note though, if you are using SCVMM 2012R2 the conversion functionality has been removed from the GUI. You will need to download Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter as a standalone app
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"The problem with internet quotes is that you cant always depend on their accuracy" -Abraham Lincoln, 1864
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