Today I am writing on the topic which I do not like to write much. I enjoy writing usually positive or affirmative posts. Recently I got email from two different DBA where they upgraded to SQL Server 2005 trial version on their production server and now as their trial version was expire they wanted to downgrade their database to previous licensed version they had.
The main questions is how they can downgrade the from SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2000?
Answer is : Not Possible.
There are no tools or native SQL Server facility which does this. I am also not aware of any of the tool available from third party software vendors. Database (.mdf, .ndf, .ldf) can not be restored from higher version to lower versions. If you want to downgrade your server, fresh install of previous version of server should be done first. Right after that recreate all the schema to create empty tables and database objects (SP, UDFs etc). Use SSIS/DTS or any other import/export utility and import data from upgraded version to downgraded version.
First of all I am true believer of licensed software. I do not like to use or encourage use of pirated software. Again, I do not like to even downgrade to lower version. SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2005 have many new and advance features over SQL Server 2000. One must keep on moving towards new technology and upgrade themselves and company technology.
It is responsibility of the each developer to encourage technological advancement and prevent piracy.
Reference : Pinal Dave (http://www.SQLAuthority.com)
pinaldave
Seems odd to me. If there was any risk of not purchasing the server when the trial was over, I wouldn’t use it anywhere of any concern. That given, you can install SQL 2000 on another machine and use a tool like Red Gate SQL Compare and Red Gate SQL Data Compare to bring across all of the data and schema, provided you aren’t doing anythign that SQL 2000 can’t do. Still, if you have the budget, 2005 is well worth it…
I’m sorry, but if a business is silly enough to allow one of its’ “techies” to install trial software onto a production servers, then it must pay the price for that incompetence.
The best advice I can give to the individuals concerned is to get another job before your boss finds out what you’ve done.