October 13, 2005 at 10:52 am
We need to change the edition of SQL Server on some of our database servers (juggling Developer, Standard, and Enterprise editions for licensing and new hardware issues).
Our system databases are loaded with relevant stuff: logins, linked server definitions, jobs, job history, DTS packages, custom master..sp_xxx procedures... the mind boggles at the work required to replicate this largely undocumente mass of material. (CYA: I've only been here a few months.)
I know that (with some small effort) you can, say, build an instance on a new box, stop the service, replace the new system tables with copies from another server, and start it up with all the old values and settings in place. [Yah, you have to copy over the user databases, maintain the same file mappings... like I said, some small effort. I like to refer to these operations as "brain transfers" and cackle while doing it. Keeps mangaement on their toes....]
The question is, can this be done for swapping editions? I'd guess yes, as the edition settings can't be stored in the system tables <chuckle>... but has anyone tried it?
(There's thread http://qa.sqlservercentral.com/forums/shwmessage.aspx?forumid=5&messageid=5749 from back in 2002, I'm hopeing someone's tried it since then.)
Philip
October 13, 2005 at 10:59 am
Philip,
I've never tried and I wouldn't advise doing it. I remember a customer which once restored his master database from an old machine to a newer one and it turned out that afterwards SELECT @@version gave wrong results. I actually spent half a day wonderig about all kind of missing SP's and other strange erros until someone told me.
So there might be some differences in the system tables.
Marks
[font="Verdana"]Markus Bohse[/font]
October 16, 2005 at 6:42 pm
Philip,
I have successfully done this twice in our environment with no issues.
Steps taken were to stop SQL. Copy all current DBs to another location. Uninstall SQL Enterprise. Install SQL Standard using the same paths to previous data file locations. Patch to the current SP/hotfix level. Stop SQL. Replace new data/log files with previous files. Restart SQL. Check SQL logs for any errors.
Glenn
October 16, 2005 at 9:03 pm
Sounds good. If and when I get a machine to test it on, I'll do so before "going live".
Philip
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