Best way to move a SQL database

[BRADYINDIT]

What is the best way to move a SQL database from the local server disks to an iSCSI LUN? The plan is to move the databases to my Netapp FAS2240, then snapmirror that volume to my FAS2040 for a backup. I am still somewhat new to Netapp and all of the features that are available. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[radek_kubka · Accepted solution]

Hi,

If the DB isn't particularly huge, the easiest way is to use SnapManager for SQL to do the migration.

Regards,

Radek

[BRADYINDIT]

Thank you for the information, I greatly appreciate it.

[WillFulmer]

And with a LARGE SQL DB, what would be a good solution, moving LUN>LUN.

Flexclone, SnapMirror, etc?

[radek_kubka]

I would say SnapMirror is an obvious choice.

In some scenarios you can leverage DataMotion for Volumes:

http://www.netapp.com/us/communities/tech-ontap/tot-data-motion-1102.html

[WillFulmer]

Of course - Datamotion would allow the vol to move to another aggr, but this doesn't solve moving the actual DB itself.

In one situation I have a customer where a DB grew at an exponential amount.

The initial LUN was 100GB and overtime had to be resized and it currently at 1TB.

At this point, the LUN cannot be resized any larger due to the limitation of 10x LUN expansion.

So at this point, we are stuck having to move the DB to a new LUN.

I am assuming, if we performed a SnapMirror of the Vol (LUN) to a new volume, that the LUN properties would remain intact and thus be unable to grow the LUN.

At this point, I believe the only option is to physically move the DB from one LUN to a newly created LUN.

- Or use SMSQL to restore a snapshot of the DB to an alternate location on the new LUN.

[BHANOJIG3]

Hi,

Use SnapManager for SQL to migrate the DB and logs from local disk to netapp lun. This would be the idle way of migration and then snapmirror from 2240 to 2040.

Regards,

Bhanoji.