Quick question about Server copying

Ok guys, it's my first day on a job, I need a quick answer, and I'm not a
full time DBA. Refresh my memory.
I have a SQL Server 2000 (SP3) server with multiple databases of uncertain
size (probably a few gig at least.) I need to duplicate this entire server
(all databases, users, permissions, everything) to a second server on a
nightly basis. Any changes to the second servers's data are irrelevant.
They are to be wiped out and replaced by the first.
What's the fastest way to do this? (At the moment, everyone else in the
office is leaning towards a backup-restore solution. Anything better that I
might be forgettting?)
Normally I'd be suggesting log-shipping, but in your case you want to take a
copy of the master database as well, which can't be log-shipped. So, you
could use backup and restore for the entire databases, assuming the second
server can maintain the same name. Coordination of the backups might become
crucial here if the databases are related eg logical FKs across databases.
This will also apply to replication where the coordination of distribution
backup and publisher backup will be required. Also, you'll need to consider
peripheral areas eg FTIs which will need rebuilding (taken care of in SQL
2005). You might be better off looking at a server-mirroring solution eg
DoubleTake for your requirements.
Rgds,
Paul Ibison
"B. Chernick" wrote:

> Ok guys, it's my first day on a job, I need a quick answer, and I'm not a
> full time DBA. Refresh my memory.
> I have a SQL Server 2000 (SP3) server with multiple databases of uncertain
> size (probably a few gig at least.) I need to duplicate this entire server
> (all databases, users, permissions, everything) to a second server on a
> nightly basis. Any changes to the second servers's data are irrelevant.
> They are to be wiped out and replaced by the first.
> What's the fastest way to do this? (At the moment, everyone else in the
> office is leaning towards a backup-restore solution. Anything better that I
> might be forgettting?)
|||On Apr 16, 2:58 pm, B. Chernick <BChern...@.discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> Ok guys, it's my first day on a job, I need a quick answer, and I'm not a
> full time DBA. Refresh my memory.
> I have a SQL Server 2000 (SP3) server with multiple databases of uncertain
> size (probably a few gig at least.) I need to duplicate this entire server
> (all databases, users, permissions, everything) to a second server on a
> nightly basis. Any changes to the second servers's data are irrelevant.
> They are to be wiped out and replaced by the first.
> What's the fastest way to do this? (At the moment, everyone else in the
> office is leaning towards a backup-restore solution. Anything better that I
> might be forgettting?)
This solution will keep a realtime copy of all your databases as well
as Master, System, etc. You can also schedule it to just do periodic
snapshots, so that should meet your needs for a nightly copy on a
secondary server.
http://www.steeleye.com/pdf/literature/lifekeeper_for_sql_server.pdf
David A. Bermingham, MCSE, MCSA:Messaging
Director of Product Management
www.steeleye.com
|||Thanks. Unfortunately, my boss has told me in no uncertain terms that this
project does not warrant the expense of 3rd party software so we're going the
batch file route (which I've mostly gotten working.)
"daveberm" wrote:

> On Apr 16, 2:58 pm, B. Chernick <BChern...@.discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote:
> This solution will keep a realtime copy of all your databases as well
> as Master, System, etc. You can also schedule it to just do periodic
> snapshots, so that should meet your needs for a nightly copy on a
> secondary server.
> http://www.steeleye.com/pdf/literature/lifekeeper_for_sql_server.pdf
> David A. Bermingham, MCSE, MCSA:Messaging
> Director of Product Management
> www.steeleye.com
>
>