SQL Server 2008 RTM and SQL Server 2008 SP1 - Side-by-side installation

  • I am struggling to find the answer to this seemingly simple question: is it possible to run SQL Server 2008 RTM and SQL Server 2008 SP1 instances side-by-side on the same server. If so, any issues to be aware of, recommendations etc.

  • It should be possible.

    If you install SP1, you can choose which instances to upgrade.

    Haven't done it myself though, so I am not aware of any potential pitfalls.

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  • FIshNChipPapers (2/27/2014)


    I am struggling to find the answer to this seemingly simple question: is it possible to run SQL Server 2008 RTM and SQL Server 2008 SP1 instances side-by-side on the same server. If so, any issues to be aware of, recommendations etc.

    It can be done -- but why? Just curious.

    Thanks

    John.

  • Thanks both for the update. We need to support a 2008 SP1 instance alongside our production 2008 instance and we are not in a position to upgrade the production instances.

    Can we install SP1 alongside RTM? If so, are there any particular issues we need to consider beyond using a named instance for the new SP1 instance.

  • FIshNChipPapers (2/27/2014)


    Thanks both for the update. We need to support a 2008 SP1 instance alongside our production 2008 instance and we are not in a position to upgrade the production instances.

    Can we install SP1 alongside RTM? If so, are there any particular issues we need to consider beyond using a named instance for the new SP1 instance.

    I am no fan of instances, especially if you mix production and non-production instances on one machine. Do you have any other options such as VMs? One of the two instances must be named.

    Also, you should be way past RTM and even SP1, I recommend SP3 at minimum. It fixes numerous issues in SQL2K8 -- why can't you update the main instance?

    Thanks

    John.

  • The new SP1 instance would also be production.

    I would love to be able to move to SP3 but the implications from a service availability point-of-view make it very difficult to justify to the business.

  • It is possible to upgrade SP1 to a specific instance. When you fire up the GUI it will determine all of the instances that can be patched and will present you with a GUI screen that you can check or uncheck which ones get patched. Keep in mind if you have multiple instance and you patch only one the Mgt Studio and Integration services will be patched automatically. You don't have control over that part.

  • Currently there is not an instance to upgrade to SP1; we have to deploy a new database from an SP1 instance from another server so we would be looking to install SP1 alongside RTM; create a new named instance and then recover the backup. Is that feasible?

    If not, would we have to create a new named RTM instance; upgrade it to SP1 and then restore the backup.

    Also, can we leave the existing RTM instance as a default, unnamed instance?

  • AH... yes, you can have an RTM instance and install SQL Server again for an instance and apply SP1 to just it. Yes, it will work that way.

  • FIshNChipPapers (3/6/2014)


    Currently there is not an instance to upgrade to SP1; we have to deploy a new database from an SP1 instance from another server so we would be looking to install SP1 alongside RTM; create a new named instance and then recover the backup. Is that feasible?

    If not, would we have to create a new named RTM instance; upgrade it to SP1 and then restore the backup.

    Also, can we leave the existing RTM instance as a default, unnamed instance?

    Yes, you can do that. And you can even install SQL 2008 with SP1 slipstreamed as Named Instance.

    Also you need to assign Min\Max Memory setting for both instances. And when you have named instances, you can either enable SQL Server browser service or use dedicated port for the Named Instance.

    --

    SQLBuddy

  • Thanks all for your help with this. Much appreciated

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