restore all databases, including system dbs, from one server to another

  • Hello!

    I was trying to take a snapshot of a db server and restore the whole thing on another server. I made sure that the data files on the new server are on the same location as on the old server. Basically, I stopped sql server service on both servers, copied all data files from the first server ( including system db files) over to the second server following the same file paths. The second server had nothing but the system dbs before I copied the files. Then I tried to restart sql server service on the second one, it was not able to restart. Is there anything I am missing? Though the first instance is called Hamster and the second instance is called Packmule\Two. Does it matter?

    Thanks much for any help!

    Kathleen

     

     

  • Did you stop the service and copy the .mdf and .ldf files  or detach the databases and copy the .mdf and .ldf files? The second way would be the best way to do this. Then just attach the databases onto the new server. The master db tables store information on the databases and the servers so I think when you took a snapshot you may have brought in the master database tables from the other system. Don't bring over the systemdbs, Let them be recreated when you attach the other DB's.

  • If I attach the dbs, can I attach them as 'standby'? Because on the first server, I have 9 standby servers and I want to keep them in nonrecovery mode so I can apply transaction logs to them. The whole idea why I had to do the whole thing was I did not find a way to restore warm standby dbs as they are without putting them to recovery mode. Any ideas?

  • The databases attached can be placed into offline status. Still there but not running.

    Are you trying to set up the server as a recovery machine for a hot swap when the first one fails? Or just as a standby machine? There are many ways to set this machine up as a recovery machine. Some of the other members may be able to help you with this, my experience is not the strongest (Yet!) and is only based upon experience with a Unisys DMSII database. I have done versions of this with SQL but not very kosher in how I was able to get it to work as it was from a DMSII import to SQL.   Most of my knowledge of the rest for replication is from the books!

  • The idea is to have a warm standby server for another warm standby server. Because we need the first server as the reporting server, we dont want to bring it to recovery if something back happen to production. So I am stuck at how to restore a standby db with non-recovery.

  • Investigate using log-shipping.  It is only available with the Enterprise edition, however (I think).  Thanks.

    Chris

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