I am converting our systems  from SBS 4.5 (NT4 & SQL 7.0) to SBS 2003 (2003 & SQL 2000) by installing a new server and cloning the data.

What is the best way to copy SQL Databases from one system to another.

The two servers are networked together so the SQL instances can see one another.

I have come up with 3 scenarios:
1) Use the Import data function from SQL 7.0 -> 2000
    However this requires I create new database names and seem to have to Redefine/establish the  Primary keys for each table. Which I would reather not do as we have around 50 tables.

2) Stop the SQL Service on 7.0 Physically copy the MDF & LDF pairs to the new server and use the Attach Database function in SQL 2000 (I havnt tried this yet)

3) Try to 'restore from SQL backups' although I think may mean I have to define DBs as in point 1

Or is there another way that this should be done that I have missed?

Any thoughts would be greatky appreciated.

Thanks

Hi Paul,

 

If you are using the MS migration papers for migrating from SBS 4.5 to SBS 2003, it has a section on the SQL part. Did you read that yet?

Hi Marina,

Ah yes, I had forgotten aboutthe Hyperlink in the Migration Document {page 28 How to move.....}

 

Thanks,