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Useless1
Contributor
Contributor

SQL 2005 Express to SQL 2008 Standard VMware support not helping

Hi,

I am documenting the process of my upgrade but VMware support is not helping at all.

Here is what I want to do.

Upgrade vCenter 4.1 from one VM to another running vCenter 5.

As part of this I want to migrate away from SQL 2005 Express to SQL 2008 Standard.

I am wondering if what is the best way of doing this and whether I can just...

Take a backup of the existing SQL 2005 Express Databases (vCenter and VUM) and shutdown VM

Create a new VM with the same name and IP address of the existing server and install SQL 2008 Standard.

Restore the two databases to the new server.

Run the vCenter installer and prompt to upgrade existing databases, pointing to the restored DB's...

The confusion arises with things such as the following KB 1004382...

Do I need to do this on my newly restored DB?

Or am I better off for example by running the data migration wizard and upgrading to SQL 2008 Express and then doing something to that instance?

Ideas???

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5 Replies
orthohin
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

You beter take a backup of the existing SQL 2005 Express Databases (vCenter and VUM) and shutdown VM Create a new VM with the same name and IP address and Upgrade vCenter 4.1 from one VM to another running vCenter 5. Then you have to install SQL 2008 Standard and restore the database that will be less possible of geting error.

Regards,
Milton

Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window
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RParker
Immortal
Immortal

Officially it's not VM Ware fault YOU didn't read the documentation.. SQL Express is NOT supported.

Unofficially you can still copy the MDF file to a SQL Server Enterprise/Standard 2008 install and then point your upgrade to that database so that it will work.. but you should consult a SQL expert that can help you.

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Useless1
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

Lets get one thing straight...

I have read the documentation...

It says vCenter 5 supports amongst other things:

SQL 2008 R2 Standard/Enterprise etc

SQL 2008 R2 Express

Now I have an SQL 2005 Express database which was supported under 4.1...

All I am looking for is instead of migrating to 2008 R2 Express, moving to 2008 R2 Standard.

Its not my fault VMware only offer documentation about moving from Express to Express and Standard to Standard.

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RParker
Immortal
Immortal

Useless1 wrote:

Hi,

Lets get one thing straight...

Now I have an SQL 2005 Express database which was supported under 4.1...

All I am looking for is instead of migrating to 2008 R2 Express, moving to 2008 R2 Standard.

Its not my fault VMware only offer documentation about moving from Express to Express and Standard to Standard.

It may be supported NOW but 2005 Express was NOT supported on 4.1, anyway moot point.

I already told you what to do.  COPY as in file COPY the MDF as in SQL database to your NEW SQL Server, whether it be SQL standard or enterprise.  You have to search for the file database you are currently using in SQL Express.. the DATABASE is the same

attach that database to the NEW server.  Then point your vCenter to that NEW database with the database, run the upgrade, problem solved!

Its not my fault VMware only offer documentation about moving from Express to Express and Standard to Standard.

If you read the documentation as you CLAIM to, then you should ALSO know under the heading of intended audience they ASSUME you are familiar with how SQL works, and thus you should KNOW how to do this.. something I ALSO mentioned in my previous post.................................. GET A SQL ADMIN HELP!

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NTShad0w
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

RParker,

I see You don't understand that sometimes we need an knowledge where there is no expret at the site (we also know that when there is an expert we would like to ask expert nott asking on a forums), so because of that we asks here at forums, so try to extend your view and problem solving perception, not to inform that you need an sql expert for that, we asks here because there are no an sql expert on the site!!!!.

I have same problem right now, I just want to do an easy (in teory) upgrade of vc sql 2008 r2 db from express to standard and... I stuck because this database don't list as a database to upgrade, when I see the other databases, I don't know why, it's not looks like have any conenction from vmware and other apps, so it is block for upgrading or what?

the vCenter DB is one with Instance Name SQLEXP_VIM and you can see that I can choose 2 instance for update (that i've already updated) and I dont have an idea why i can't update this last one that is a real vCenter db, all services are stopped, there is no connections to DB, it's just no listing here and i don't know what to do, I'm not an sql expert of course.

regards

NTShad0w

Solution:

1. The vCenter (v5.1) db was on SQL 2005 Express so because it don't lists in Edition Upgrade list

2. vCenter db was x86 version so because it don't wanna to upgrade with default options on SQL 2008 R2 which are x64, one need to change the options from x64 to x86 and start upgrade or migration process

3. so during upgrade from 2005 express to 2008 r2 standard db was also edition upgrade from express to standard automatically :smileysilly:

Message was edited by: NTShad0w

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