Data Center Move

  • Appreciate any thoughts as I formulate a strategy for moving a 2+ TB database while maintaining availability.

    Data Center move is cross-country 800 miles away.

    Thanks,

    Gary

  • Some readers but no replies...

    How about this...

    1. Get an 2TB eSATA II hdd and cable for about $250

    2. Full backup at DataCenter to new hdd

    - or -

    Detach and copy database files to new hdd

    3. Overnight new hdd to new DataCenter

    4. Restore (or attach) database

    5. Create differential backup of original DB

    6. Restore differential to new DC db

    thoughts?

  • We did this 18 months ago. We were able to schedule downtime, so we went with the simple process of a backup, copy & restore to move the databases to the new servers. If we were to do it today, I'd go with one of the SAN utilities that are transactionally aware and we'd simply copy the SAN from one to the other. A heck of a lot less downtime that way. I'd contact your SAN team and see what they might offer in that area.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • How much downtime are you allowed to have?

  • 1. Make sure the database to be moved is in full recovery mode, transaction log backups are being made at short intervals, and make sure they are retained at least long enough for the move.

    2. Setup a ROBOCOPY job to continuously mirror the transaction log backups to the new location over the network.

    3. Make a full backup of the database.

    4. Copy the full backup over the network to the new location, or send the backup on a removable drive to the new location.

    5. Restore the full backup to the new location in NORECOVERY mode.

    6. Restore all transaction logs with NORECOVERY to bring the database up to date.

    7. When ready to make the switch, shutdown the application at the old location, make one last transaction log backup, and copy it to the new location.

    8. Restore the last transaction log backup to the new location, and bring the database online.

    9. Bring the application online pointing at the database in the new location.

    Doing it this way, the total down time can be just a few minutes.

  • Thank you all for the ideas!! The wheels are turning now!!

    Gary

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