Create Dev VM by Cloning Production VM

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Create Dev VM by Cloning Production VM

Lijun Zhang

Old Hand

Points: 337
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May 11, 2016 at 9:35 am

#316448

We have a standalone production SQL Server instance that install on a VM. The database on this server has TDE turned on.
Is it possible to create a develop instance by cloning the production VM?
I assume we need to run sp_dropserver and sp_addserver on the new dev server, since the server name is changed.
Has anyone done this before? Are there any caveats or “gotchas” I should be aware of?
Thanks,
Lijun

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Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736210 More actions · Answer 1

You could clone the VM. I'd try to make sure there weren't open transactions, as the method you use to clone needs to properly freeze IO, but you can try.

If you use TDE here, you should be fine as the certificate will be in the clone. Changing the name of the Windows machine and SQL are certainly required.

However, if you have a dev instance, it's easy to move the database back with a backup/restore. If you worry about TDE, it's easy to move a backup of the certificate to the dev machine, and you (or someone) should be comfortable this in case production dies. You need a way to restore the database backup.

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004339 More actions · Answer 2

Hold the phone a minute. If the production database is under TDE, why on Earth would you copy it to a Developer's box? Sale of private/sensitive information doesn't come just from external sources.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 234013 More actions · Answer 3

why not just use a clean VM and backup and restore the database and the certificate. Having your prod certificate on a dev database server is questionable itself, your IT security team will likely have kittens

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