Published on

December 29, 2006

SQL Server Migration: Lessons Learned

Are you planning to migrate your SQL Server 2000 database to SQL Server 2005? If so, let me share with you some valuable lessons I learned during a recent database migration. While the backup and restore method is a common and reliable way to migrate databases, there are certain considerations you need to keep in mind to avoid potential issues.

One of the challenges I encountered during the migration was related to the full-text search (FTS) feature. In SQL Server 2005, FTS is installed as a separate service/component. When restoring a SQL Server 2000 database to a SQL Server 2005 instance, the full-text engine kicks in to rebuild the catalog. However, in my case, this process caused the server to hang, maxing out CPU usage and memory.

After some investigation, I discovered that the issue was related to a corruption in the full-text index. The error message indicated that no appropriate filter was found during the full-text index population. This led me to disable the FTS service temporarily while working on resolving the issue.

Another challenge I faced was the inability to perform a backup of the migrated database. The error message stated that the full-text catalog was not online, preventing the backup process. Fortunately, this turned out to be a known issue, and Microsoft provided a solution in their knowledge base article.

To resolve the backup issue, I had to enable the full-text catalog or drop it if it was no longer needed. However, the process was not as straightforward as expected. I had to execute a series of system stored procedures in a specific order to successfully drop the catalog and enable the full-text search.

Once these issues were resolved, I was able to perform a successful backup of the SQL Server 2005 database. It is important to note that during the migration process, full-text indexes are marked as disabled, and catalogs must be repopulated manually. This can be a time-consuming task, so plan accordingly based on your database environment.

In addition to the challenges I faced, there are some deprecated full-text SQL statements in SQL Server 2005. It is recommended to use the replacement statements to ensure compatibility with future versions of SQL Server.

When migrating your database, it is also worth considering alternative methods such as detaching and reattaching the database. This approach has yielded positive results for some users, especially when dealing with full-text catalogs.

In conclusion, migrating a SQL Server 2000 database to SQL Server 2005 can be a complex process, but with careful planning and knowledge of potential issues, you can ensure a successful migration. Be prepared to address challenges related to full-text search and backup processes, and consider alternative migration methods if necessary. By learning from my experiences, you can avoid common pitfalls and make your database migration a smooth and successful endeavor.

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