10 steps to upgrade SQL Server 2005

Given that SQL Server 2005 has been released, many organizations are considering upgrades, but they do not know how to get started, or how to move from one phase to another in a timely manner. This article outlines 10 important steps to get the reader to follow the correct steps to upgrade to SQL Server 2005.

I. Proof of the need for escalation

Finding the key to a SQL Server 2005 upgrade may be simple, but persuading technology and business executives to implement it is a challenge. Investigation and education are good beginnings. Consider all the problems the current platform has encountered, and then determine whether SQL Server 2005 alone, or with other additional products, will solve the business and technical challenges. Report the results of the survey to upper management.

Ii. cost and return on investment

One aspect of the decision to upgrade inevitably boils down to comparing cost and time to business improvement versus competitive advantage. It is difficult to find out the actual cost and benefit of the upgrade, because both the cost and the benefit are divided into tangible and intangible. Make a list of tangible costs (such as licensing fees, project estimated time and hardware costs) and benefits (such as reduced transaction costs, reduced support costs, and reduced process time). This is a difficult task, but in order to get a purely financial-driven decision, the information is invaluable.

Iii. Project Planning

Once you've invested time and effort in trying to explain the benefits of SQL Server upgrades to your managers, you'll need to prove your findings later. Start with a project plan that lists important upgrades, including delivery time and necessary roles and responsibilities. Then, you have to decide which department is responsible for upgrading the project and which department is allocating the budget for the project. Set your expectations and let your team know: This technology is not only new to your organization, but also new to the industry as a whole. They need time to get started as quickly as possible, carry out reasonable tests, and complete projects, thus bringing benefits to the organization. Start with a simple pilot project and learn from your mistakes to improve in the future, and then start upgrading larger, more important systems.

Iv. Project Team

Project planning should define important tasks, but it takes time to educate team members and weigh expected goals against existing projects. Teams must include: Project supporters, project managers, database administrators, developers, network administrators, testers, and users. In the early stages of the project, be sure not to ignore any teams. Even if team members do not need to be involved in the project immediately, ask for their advice and schedule the time required to participate in the project according to their schedule of work.

V. Training of personnel

In order to develop and manage the application system based on SQL Server reasonably, it is necessary to arrange the time to train the team members, whether through the Internet, self-paced or go to school. The importance and effectiveness of training should be emphasized to the managers. If you do not have the necessary knowledge, it is impossible to meet business requirements. Please visit Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for free Training Resources (http://msdn.microsoft.com/virtuallabs/sql/default.aspx).

Vi. Evaluation of new features

Think of SQL Server 2005 as the most innovative version of the SQL Server that Microsoft has ever released. The upgrade project plan should take advantage of its new features at a later stage. You should have an understanding of some of the important new features that SQL Server 2005 has.

Vii. assessment of the current environment

Microsoft's SQL Server 2005 Community Technology Preview (CTP), released last September, includes a SQL Server 2005 Upgrade Advisor. The application scans the SQL Server 7.0 and 2000 environments to determine which deprecated features and configuration changes should be corrected before the upgrade.

VIII. Testing Environment

Given the variety of changes from SQL Server 7.0/2000 to 2005, you must perform functional, load, and regression testing, which will verify that the application will not crash after the upgrade and continue to function properly. Load tests ensure that your application has acceptable performance when the number of users is the same or more numerous after the upgrade. Regression testing ensures that the application is backward compatible and does not break any external interfaces.

Ten, how to upgrade

All upgrades, especially database upgrades, require two implementation plans. The first is to upgrade as soon as the design, development, and testing work is completed. The second is that, in the event that the implementation plan encounters unexpected errors, the recovery plan is enabled to ensure that business operations continue without prolonged downtime.