September 29, 2005 at 2:22 pm
There are incompatibilities between SP3 and SP4 on SQL Server 2000 DTS services. The one that shows up most reliably is the FTP object, used to download a file in a DTS package. One that I have not been able to reproduce reliably is with a text file source. If the DTS package is edited on an SP4 box, even if it is your workstation, the package is changed in such a way as the SP3, and older, version of SQL Server can no longer execute it, and SP3 client tools cannot even open the package.
There may be other DTS objects that cause problems, but I am not aware of them as I have not had time to do extensive testing of the various DTS objects.
As I have spoken to MS about this, and they say they are NOT going to fix it the options are:
1. Migrate nothing to SP4.
2. Migrate eveyrthing to SP4.
3. Pick and choose as necessary, where SP4 would be of benefit, and deal with the incompatibility by only editing DTS packages from the console of the server where they are to run. If you are moving packages through a development cycle (different environments), all environments will have to be on SP4.
Keep in mind that if you upgrade your local workstation to SP4, for the client tools, you can no longer edit SP3 DTS packages through SQL EM on your local workstation.
If this incompatibility end up being related only to the FTP object, it may not matter for some.
Chris
September 30, 2005 at 8:03 am
DTS incompatibility is not the only problem in SP4.
After installing SP4 on our warehouse server, the build times went up from 5 hours to 12 hours.
Another thing we noticesd is that a single thread starts locking itself. Microsoft advised us to wait for SP5, which is due early 2006, but we upgraded to SQL Server 2005 in the meantime, but deleted the SP4 install from every server.
Conclusion: Don't come near SP4 for SQL
September 30, 2005 at 8:18 am
Tobie, build times of what?
Thanks,
Chris
Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply