Question

I have a SQL Server 2008 database that I want to copy and create a new database (with the a different name) on the server with. I am not concerned with maintaining data, the new database can be created with no data for starters. What I am looking to do is the following:

• Create the new database maintaining structure of old database
• Set the name of the new database
• Change all varchar and char datatypes to nvarchar and nchar
• Change all text datatypes to nvarchar(MAX)

As an aside, I have 2 more questions which are not part of my task but would like to consider the following:

• How can I upgrade the sql server database to sql server 2012
• Is there any preparatory work I need to carry out on the database to ensure I can easily upgrade it?

Answer 1

This really is a combination of multiple questions.

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QUESTIONS 1 AND 2

• Create the new database maintaining structure of old database
• Set the name of the new database

The simplest backup command would be:

BACKUP DATABASE dbname TO DISK = 'C:\some folder\dbname.bak' WITH INIT;
-- or WITH INIT, COMPRESSION if you are on Enterprise or Developer

Now to restore this as a different database, you need to know the file names because it will try to put the same files in the same place. So if you run the following:

EXEC dbname.dbo.sp_helpfile;

You should see output that contains the names and paths of the data and log files. When you construct your restore, you’ll need to use these, but replace the paths with the name of the new database, e.g.:

RESTORE DATABASE newname FROM DISK = 'C:\some folder\dbname.bak'
  WITH MOVE 'dbname' TO 'C:\path_from_sp_helpfile_output\newname_data.mdf',
  MOVE 'dbname_log' TO 'C:\path_from_sp_helpfile_output\newname_log.ldf';

You’ll have to replace dbname and newname with your actual database names, and also C:\some folder and C:\path_from_sp_helpfile_output\ with your actual paths. I can’t get more specific in my answer unless I know what those are.

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Here is a full repro:

CREATE DATABASE [DB-A];
GO

EXEC [DB-A].dbo.sp_helpfile;

Partial results:

name     fileid filename
-------- ------ ---------------------------------
DB-A     1      C:\Program Files\...\DB-A.mdf
DB-A_log 2      C:\Program Files\...\DB-A_log.ldf

Now I run the backup:

BACKUP DATABASE [DB-A] TO DISK = 'C:\dev\DB-A.bak' WITH INIT;

Of course if the clone target (in this case DB-B) already exists, you’ll want to drop it:

USE [master];
GO
IF DB_ID('DB-B') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
  ALTER DATABASE [DB-B] SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE;
  DROP DATABASE [DB-B];
END
GO

Now this restore will run successfully, giving you a copy of DB-A renamed as DB-B:

RESTORE DATABASE [DB-B] FROM DISK = 'C:\dev\DB-A.bak'
  WITH MOVE 'DB-A'     TO 'C:\Program Files\...\DB-B.mdf',
       MOVE 'DB-A_log' TO 'C:\Program Files\...\DB-B_log.ldf';

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QUESTIONS 3 AND 4

• Change all varchar and char datatypes to nvarchar and nchar
• Change all text datatypes to nvarchar(MAX)

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Refactoring is a major pain, especially if some of these columns participate in constraints. You can build a very basic script this way, but you will need something much more industrial strength to deal with all of these variables. This assumes all the columns are nullable and don’t participate in constraints.

DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';

SELECT @sql += '
  ALTER TABLE ' + 
  QUOTENAME(OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(c.[object_id])) 
  + '.' + QUOTENAME(OBJECT_NAME(c.[object_id]))
  + ' ALTER COLUMN ' + QUOTENAME(c.name) + ' '
  + CASE t.name WHEN N'text' 
     THEN N'nvarchar(max)' 
     ELSE N'n' + t.name + '(' + RTRIM(c.max_length) + ')'
  END + ';'
FROM sys.columns AS c
INNER JOIN sys.types AS t
ON c.user_type_id = t.user_type_id
WHERE c.system_type_id IN (35, 167, 175)
AND OBJECTPROPERTY(c.[object_id], 'IsMsShipped') = 0;

PRINT @sql;
-- EXEC sp_executesql @sql;

You can use the PRINT output to verify the first 8K of the script, and when you think it looks good, uncomment the EXEC.

You’ll want to rebuild all of your indexes once you’re done.

That said, scripting the database as Tony suggested (or using a tool like Red Gate’s SQL Compare – or one of its many alternatives – against an empty database) is probably going to much easier, particularly if some of these columns participate in constraints – which may need to be dropped and re-created in order to change the types.

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QUESTIONS 5 AND 6

• How can I upgrade the sql server database to sql server 2012
• Is there any preparatory work I need to carry out on the database to ensure I can easily upgrade it?

You can’t upgrade just a single database on a 2008 instance. You either upgrade in place or you set up a new instance (as Tony described) and then migrate your database (preferably using backup / restore – many folks will tell you to detach / attach but that is far less safe). Preparatory work you should do include:

• running the SQL Server 2012 Upgrade Advisor
• ensuring none of your databases have compatibility level 80 or less

And after the upgrade you’ll want to:

• set the compatibility level to 110
• update all statistics