I need to copy about 40 databases from one server to another. The new databases should have new names, but all the same tables, data and indexes as the original databases. So far I've been:
1) creating each destination database
2) using the "Tasks->Export Data" command to create and populate tables for each database individually
3) rebuilding all of the indexes for each database with a SQL script
Only three steps per database, but I'll bet there's an easier way. Do any MS SQL Server experts out there have any advice?
Given that you're performing this on multiple databases -- you want a simple scripted solution, not a point and click solution.
This is a backup script that i keep around.
Get it working for one file and then modify it for many.
(on source server...)
BACKUP DATABASE Northwind
TO DISK = 'c:\Northwind.bak'
(target server...)
RESTORE FILELISTONLY
FROM DISK = 'c:\Northwind.bak'
(look at the device names... and determine where you want the mdf and
ldf files to go on this target server)
RESTORE DATABASE TestDB
FROM DISK = 'c:\Northwind.bak'
WITH MOVE 'Northwind' TO 'c:\test\testdb.mdf',
MOVE 'Northwind_log' TO 'c:\test\testdb.ldf'
GO
Maybe the easiest is to detach/reattach. Right-click in the server manager on the DB, tasks --> detach. Then copy the MDF/LDF files to the new server and then reattach by clicking on the server icon and tasks-->attach. It will ask you for the MDF file - make sure the name etc is accurate.
In order of ease
stop server/fcopy/attach is probably easiest.
backup/restore - can be done disconnected pretty simple and easy
transfer DTS task - needs file copy permissions
replication - furthest from simple to setup
Things to think about permissions, users and groups at the destination server esp. if you're transferring or restoring.
There are better answers already but this is an 'also ran' because it is just another option.
For the low low price of free you could look at the Microsoft SQL Server Database Publishing Wizard. This tool allows you to script the schema, data or data and schema. Plus is can be run from a UI or command line <- think CI process.
Backup -> Restore is the simplest, if not to use the replication.
If you use the Backup/Restore solution you're likely to have orphaned users so be sure to check out this article<microsoft> on how to fix them.
Another one to check out that is quick and simple:
Simple SQL BULK Copy
http://projects.c3o.com/files/3/plugins/entry11.aspx
Backup the databases using the standard SQL backup tool in Enterprise Manager, then when you restore on the second server you can specify the name of the new database.
This is the best way to maintain the schema in its entirety.
use backups to restore the databases to the new server with the new names.
Redgate SQL Compare and SQL Data Compare. The Comparison Bundle was by far the best investment a company I worked for ever made. Moving e-training content was a breeze with it.
Check those links:
For multiple db's backup
and single db restore
Related
I have Server_A with DB_A and Server_B with DB_B, both of these are remote servers that I have no root access to.
Server_A is SQL 2012 and DB_A is set in Compatibility level 2008
Server_B is SQL 2008 and DB_B is set in Compatibility level 2008, of course.
I need to copy the data, including relationships and keys from DB_A to DB_B. How can this be done?
Using the import or export wizard I've only been able to move the data and all the relationships are list. Please give a guy a hand and teach him something!
One way is to right-click on the source database in SSMS and select Tasks > Generate Scripts. This will show a wizard which when completed will produce a text file with all the SQL statements needed to replicate the database on a new system.
The neat thing about the wizard is that it gives you a set options so that you can decide what is in the final output. So you get to
pick if you just want the data or the table structures or both.
The final result might not be a good option for large databases but it is very portable.
Actually you can back up to a .bak file.
Where you want to restore it is totally up to you.
If it doesn't work for some reason (it should work fine) you can always try to copy your database like so.
These two steps will copy the database intierly. Including the relationships and keys.
This is the only alternative I've found for your problem since you don't have sysadmin rights.
I have a database in SQL Server 2008, which I want to copy to another computer.
How do I make such a copy?
Once this is done, what should I do at the other computer to build the database once again from my copy?
Using SQL Server Management Studio, here are the steps:
1.Right-click the database and select Tasks | Backup
2.Make sure that the Backup type is Full
3.Click Add and specify the location and backup name
4.Copy the created backup file to another computer
5.In SQL Server Management Studio on another computer, right-click the SQL Server instance and select Restore Database
6.Select Device and click the elipsis button to navigate to the copied backup file
Simple Answer: Back it up, then restore it on the other computer.
Have a look here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc966495.aspx
There's a lot of stuff there, but essentially, right click on the database, Tasks > Backup. Fill in the options to perform a full backup to somewhere.
Once it has created the backup (one big file, by convention with a BAK extension), on the second computer, right click the Databases folder, Restore Database and follow the prompts.
You can do it as well in SQL if you wish:
Backup: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms186865.aspx
Restore: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms186858.aspx
There might be times when it's better to detach and move, but this approach always feels a bit safer!
This will copy both structure and the data in the database.
Use TSQL backup and restore. This should help http://www.sqlmag.com/article/tsql3/use-t-sql-to-back-up-and-restore-sql-server-user-databases
One of the easiest ways to do this is back up and restore.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187048.aspx
Another option you have is detaching your database from SQL Server, copying the MDF and LDF files to the target machine, and re-attaching there. Note, if you want to keep a copy of the database on the original server, you will also need to attach there too.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190794.aspx
You can dump the content of your database and restore it on another machine. The same mechanism can be used also for backup purposes. Check the backup&restore functionality of MS SQL.
I have been reading a LOT of google posts and StackOverflow questions about how to restore a database in SQL Server from a .bak file.
But none of them states how to just READ the tables in the database-backup.
(None that I could find anyway?)
I just want to check out some old information which now has been deleted, without actually restoring the full database.
Is this possible?
.
EDIT:
I just wanted to post my T-SQL solution to the problem, so others may use it and I can go back and look it up ;)
First I created a new database called backup_lookup and took it offline.
After this I could restore my old database mydb to the new one, without ever touching my original.
USE master
GO
RESTORE DATABASE backup_lookup
FROM DISK = 'D:\backup\mydb.bak'
WITH REPLACE,
MOVE 'mydb' TO 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\backup_lookup.mdf',
MOVE 'mydb_log' TO 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\backup_lookup_log.ldf'
GO
I hope this helps :)
From SQL Server 2008 SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio), simply:
Connect to your database instance (for example, "localhost\sqlexpress")
Either:
a) Select the database you want to restore to; or, alternatively
b) Just create a new, empty database to restore to.
Right-click, Tasks, Restore, Database
Device, [...], Add, Browse to your .bak file
Select the backup.
Choose "overwrite=Y" under options.
Restore the database
It should say "100% complete", and your database should be on-line.
PS: Again, I emphasize: you can easily do this on a "scratch database" - you do not need to overwrite your current database. But you do need to RESTORE.
PPS: You can also accomplish the same thing with T-SQL commands, if you wished to script it.
The only workable solution is to restore the .bak file. The contents and the structure of those files are not documented and therefore, there's really no way (other than an awful hack) to get this to work - definitely not worth your time and the effort!
The only tool I'm aware of that can make sense of .bak files without restoring them is Red-Gate SQL Compare Professional (and the accompanying SQL Data Compare) which allow you to compare your database structure against the contents of a .bak file. Red-Gate tools are absolutely marvelous - highly recommended and well worth every penny they cost!
And I just checked their web site - it does seem that you can indeed restore a single table from out of a .bak file with SQL Compare Pro ! :-)
There is no standard way to do this. You need to use 3rd party tools such as ApexSQL Restore or SQL Virtual Restore. These tools don’t really read the backup file directly. They get SQL Server to “think” of backup files as if these were live databases.
Just to add my TSQL-scripted solution:
First of all; add a new database named backup_lookup.
Then just run this script, inserting your own databases' root path and backup filepath
USE [master]
GO
RESTORE DATABASE backup_lookup
FROM DISK = 'C:\backup.bak'
WITH REPLACE,
MOVE 'Old Database Name' TO 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\backup_lookup.mdf',
MOVE 'Old Database Name_log' TO 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\backup_lookup_log.ldf'
GO
It doesn't seem possible with SQL Server 2008 alone. You're going to need a third-party tool's help.
It will help you make your .bak act like a live database:
http://www.red-gate.com/products/dba/sql-virtual-restore/
I'm trying to backup a live database to my computer and I can't find the option to do it. I'm connecting to it using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 2008 R2. I'm a MySQL monkey, so I'm used to being able to backup to .sql files and move them around.
Anyone have any idea how I can create a file backup of the database? I've found the backup option which only backs up on the server, or the export, which seems to only allow a single table, or code an SQL query, which I'm not too sure on, short of putting in something like SHOW TABLES;
Anyone have any ideas? I'm limited to readonly access for various reasons, nothing bad, promise!
You will only be able to backup the database to a location the service account for SQL has access to. If you have access to a central share on the server/network that you can access and the service can, you might backup to that location and then browse from your computer to pull it down.
If you are just wanting the database structure you could script the database out to a file. This would let you save it locally. If you also want the data though doing a full backup is the quickest way I know of.
EDIT
I would use the T-SQL BACKUP comand and include WITH COPY_ONLY to backup the database, since you stated this is a "live" database. If a scheduled job is performing backups against the database and you break in to do an additional one you will effect the backup recovery chain of the database. Using the COPY_ONLY will allow you to get a backup of the database without requiring it in the event of a recovery need.
You can also create sql dumps with Management Studio.
Right-click the database and select Tasks - Generate Scripts. This will open a wizard that allows you to select what the dump should include (e.g. tables, indices, views, ...).
Make sure you set "Script Data" to true if you want your dump to include inserts.
You can enter a valid UNC path in the Backup option.
I've got a backup made using the regular SQL Server 2005 backup command. Is there a way to restore just a single table, not the whole DB?
Restore the whole database to another machine (or temporary database), then copy the table seems like the easiest to me.
This is not natively supported in SSMS but it’s possible using third party tools.
Apart from Red Gate (great tools btw) you can try SQL Diff (restore object) and SQL Data Diff (restore data) from ApexSQL.
Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated with ApexSQL but we are their customers and use their tools
The unit of backup and recovery in SQL Server is the database (it is the outer boundary of referential integrity).
Red Gate has some pretty good tools for row-level restore (SQL Data Compare and SQL Backup), but they come at a price.
Detach the current database then restore the database with the date of the tbl you need to a new location (make a sub folder) to put it in keep it separate from your production databases, then restore the database to that sub folder, when completed find the tbl you need and script it to a create script file save to a file, your done with the database delete it then reattached the original one, now scroll down to the tbl you want to restore and script it to a create file (this is a backup only) now delete the tbl, make sure your database is selected and the active one next load the the scripted file you just created with the other database in the query analyzer and run it, it should report successful now check to see if your tbl has been replaced. your done