April 6, 2009 at 10:26 am
Here is the scenario,
Currently have 150+ publications on an x32 SQL 2000 instance.
We plan to migrate to an x32 SQL 2005 instance on the same server.
That part we pretty much have worked out and tested.
The next hurdle is that we will then be migrating the x32 SQL 2005 instance from a server in our West coast DC to our Texas DC.
Issue here is that the server will be an x64 box.
The plan we are discussing now would be to name the new x64 server in TX the same as the server in the West coast DC (we know there are logistics in doing this and are working through those pieces).
We would then snapshot the publications as well as migrate the Master and MSDB DBs from the x32 instance over to the x64 server and fire it up.
That way it would look like nothing really transpired and replication would commence once started back up.
BUT in reality, replication would be now publishing from the x64 server in our TX DC.
QUESTION IS: since the Master and MSDB on the new x64 server are actually the x32 DBs from the old x32 server, will we run into issues?
Is there a way to upgrade the DBs to x64 once in place?
Is there a way to execute the switch we are trying to accommodate? (What we are trying to do is make this move without having to rebuild all the publications and the piece that seems to be the hurdle is the OS going from x32 to x64).
If there are any docs, links or mans that would further help me, by all means please pass them on.
Any and all help is appreciated,
Jay Kusch
Sr. Database Administrator
Dimensional Fund Advisors
1 (512) 306-2315 office
1 (512) 306-6696 fax
Palisades West
6300 Bee Cave Road, Building One
Austin, TX 78746
April 6, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Jay the renaming of the servers is a tough one for replicated scenarios.
If you can take the old db offline while the new come online you "could" potentially getaway with it.
There is really nothing to worry about restoring an x32 2005 db into an x64 2005 db. The file format does not change!
I have never tried your migration scenario so I can not tell if restoring master, msdb and probably distribution db too onto the new hardware could cause problems. IF the server name is the same and the disks layout are the same I see no problem but in all honesty I would try to test such a thing at least on a VM with one publication.
* Noel
April 6, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Thanks for the info.
We are absolutely testing this before the real project is cut loose.
Just trying to get any info from others who may have tried this process in the past.
I will keep everyone posted as we progress.
April 6, 2009 at 1:34 pm
BOL to the rescue again (once you hit on the right combination of words - lol).
We are going to be able to execute this process leveraging Replication and Mirroring.
The mirrored DBs will exist on the x64 server while the primary DBs will remain on the x32.
When ready, we should be able to failover and drop the mirror.
Here is a link that descibes the process:
April 6, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Jay Kusch (4/6/2009)
We are going to be able to execute this process leveraging Replication and Mirroring.
The mirrored DBs will exist on the x64 server while the primary DBs will remain on the x32.
When ready, we should be able to failover and drop the mirror.
Here is a link that descibes the process:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms151799.aspx%5B/quote%5D
You should know that it is mandatory that the distribution DB is on a separated Server and that the "new" server *cannot* have the same server name.
If the new server that you are migrating to, can have a totally different name then this or log shipping or peer-to-peer migrations can serve your purpose.
Good Luck
* Noel
April 7, 2009 at 6:24 am
Thanks Noel.
That is exactly the configuration we have (albiet we have not created the new x64 server yet and a different name will not be an issue since we are using CNames for all of our SQL servers instances and assocaited DBs).
Once we are ready, we will "switch" the publication server to execute from the x64 box and switch the CName pointing currently at the x32 server to the new x64 server as well. Should be pretty transparent to all of our users and apps.
Thanks for the info!
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