Log Shipping continued Support from Microsoft

  • A colleague went on the Designing High Availability Database Solutions Using Microsoft SQL Server course. The instructor was saying that Microsoft are not going to continue to offer in built support for Log Shipping beyond the current version of SQL Server. The thinking being that Mirroring is far better and easier to use. Has anybody else heard this?

  • ian.procter (7/27/2010)


    A colleague went on the Designing High Availability Database Solutions Using Microsoft SQL Server course. The instructor was saying that Microsoft are not going to continue to offer in built support for Log Shipping beyond the current version of SQL Server. The thinking being that Mirroring is far better and easier to use. Has anybody else heard this?

    I don't see mention of that happening in this:

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143729.aspx, nor in any of the books I'm currently reading for 2008. I'd ask for an article reference from the instructor.

    BrainDonor.

  • I'd be surprised if this happened. Log Shipping, as is, is a fairly simple solution, and works fine. It also gives you a delay on the secondary, which mirroring doesn't give you. If they were to go to multiple mirrors (has been discussed), perhaps they'd stop, but this is fairly simple to script / run yourself if MS stops shipping it.

  • Plus there are DR scenarios for which log shipping is perfect, far more suited than mirroring. I think it would be a mistake to remove the feature.

  • I think your colleague should ask the instructor for a reference. I haven't seen any talk along those lines, and there are things log shipping can do that mirroring can't (work in bulk-logged recovery, have multiple standby servers, delay restore in case of 'oops, I dropped the table' errors)

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • I feel that this is highly unlikely.

    Log Shipping is an established and mature technology which people like for its simplicity and effectiveness.

    It works well, people use it and it probably has a minimal overhead for the SQL Server development team to continue supporting in future versions.

    I cannot think of a single reason why it would be scrapped.

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