December 10, 2018 at 7:52 am
We're looking to downgrade our SQL Server editions from Enterprise to Standard. Contacted our vendors, they all signed off they for the downgrade. No Enterprise features are used. We're looking to save on licensing fees where we can.
Initially we were going to create a name instance on the same server and copy everything over. Then we found there are methods were you can simply downgrade in-place. Found the following url: https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/1018582/Downgrade-SQL-Server-R-from-Enterprise-to-Standard. Frankly it looks pretty straight forward.
Any comments on this methodology or additional URLs to work with are appreciated. Thanks.
December 10, 2018 at 8:41 am
I'm not sure that's strictly an in-place downgrade- isn't it just an uninstall and reinstall in disguise :)?
December 11, 2018 at 1:57 am
That's a lot of down time. Doing a side-by-side install would allow you to set up mirroring to migrate between the servers minimizing downtime. Further, that method means that you have no server at all to fall back to in the event there is an issue with the downgrade of any given database. I'd be nervous with that approach. I just assume that things are going to go wrong and then build in as much safety as possible. That method just doesn't have much in the way of safety.
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December 11, 2018 at 8:54 am
My 2 cents is that a downgrade sounds like a very bad idea. I typically won't even risk upgrading in-place for the reason Grant gave. With in-place, if something goes wrong, you're screwed.
December 11, 2018 at 2:14 pm
bobba - Monday, December 10, 2018 7:52 AMWe're looking to downgrade our SQL Server editions from Enterprise to Standard. Contacted our vendors, they all signed off they for the downgrade. No Enterprise features are used. We're looking to save on licensing fees where we can.Initially we were going to create a name instance on the same server and copy everything over. Then we found there are methods were you can simply downgrade in-place. Found the following url: https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/1018582/Downgrade-SQL-Server-R-from-Enterprise-to-Standard. Frankly it looks pretty straight forward.
Any comments on this methodology or additional URLs to work with are appreciated. Thanks.
Just repeating what others have said....Downgrading in place isn't recommended. If you have space create another instance on the same machine and move the databases that way. Also are you using any enterprise functionality that would become unavailable on standard. The best example I can give is online index rebuilds. This will not be possible in standard.....also if you are using SSRS and have setup a farm (not utilized but just setup) then you will have a problem downgrading and will need to do a complete reinstall of SSRS services, unless you can get the workarounds on the net to work.....
December 12, 2018 at 1:32 pm
I have used a similar process to downgrade some of our Enterprise servers without issue. As others have mentioned, you will have downtime to contend with but if that isn't an problem then it is pretty straight forward.
There is obviously some risk involved but if your servers are VM's then a belt and braces approach would be to take a snapshot first so that you can roll back if something does go horribly wrong.
December 12, 2018 at 2:35 pm
I've done it on an earlier SQL version, main thing is verify you aren't using any enterprise-only features, and test absolutely everything first on a test box. If all your tests are successful, make sure you give yourself a failsafe and try it.
However, its still pretty risky, if you can, it would be better to stand up something new and just port the DB's over to it.
December 18, 2018 at 9:52 am
Another option to do in-place downgrade without any new instances is to use registry keys
http://sqlserverstore.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-to-downgrade-sql-server-2008-r2.html
We used this approach 4 years ago to downgrade about 20 servers in all our environments (PROD,UAT, etc)
Despite it's not an official way, it saved us efforts, time and money.
Regards
December 18, 2018 at 10:34 am
asamykin - Tuesday, December 18, 2018 9:52 AMAnother option to do in-place downgrade without any new instances is to use registry keys
http://sqlserverstore.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-to-downgrade-sql-server-2008-r2.htmlWe used this approach 4 years ago to downgrade about 20 servers in all our environments (PROD,UAT, etc)
Despite it's not an official way, it saved us efforts, time and money.Regards
Awesome! I'm going to have to test THAT! Combined with the use of undocumented extended system store procedures like sys.xp_regread and sys.xp_regwrite and their related instance level procs, this could be totally and safely automated (BUT, ALWAYS BACKUP THE REGISTRY BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES TO THE RESISTRY!!!).
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
December 19, 2018 at 7:39 am
asamykin - Tuesday, December 18, 2018 9:52 AMDespite it's not an official way, it saved us efforts, time and money.
forgot to mention: such "abnormal" downgrade was not visible for any MS assessment tools, it looks like "natural" Standard Edition.
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