Question

SQL 2005, 600,000,000 rows.

I have a table called Location currently using the data type INT in identity PK column LocationID. I would like to attempt converting this data type to BIGINT.

The following script I think should help to allow inserted into the PK column but i am unsure how to progress form here.

SET IDENTITY_INSERT LOCATION ON /*allows insert into the identity column*/`

SET IDENTITY_INSERT LOCATION OFF /*Returns the identity column to initial state*/`

Location table create script below:

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Location](
    [LocationID] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
    [JourneyID] [int] NULL,
    [DeviceID] [int] NOT NULL,
    [PacketTypeID] [int] NULL,
    [PacketStatusID] [int] NULL,
CONSTRAINT [Location_PK] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED 
(
    [LocationID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX  = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE  = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS  = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS  = ON) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]

GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Location]  WITH CHECK ADD  CONSTRAINT [Device_Location_FK1] FOREIGN KEY([DeviceID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Device] ([DeviceID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Location] CHECK CONSTRAINT [Device_Location_FK1]
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Location]  WITH CHECK ADD  CONSTRAINT [PacketStatus_Location_FK1] FOREIGN KEY([PacketStatusID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[PacketStatus] ([PacketStatusID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Location] CHECK CONSTRAINT [PacketStatus_Location_FK1]
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Location]  WITH CHECK ADD  CONSTRAINT [PacketType_Location_FK1] FOREIGN KEY([PacketTypeID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[PacketType] ([PacketTypeID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Location] CHECK CONSTRAINT [PacketType_Location_FK1]

One option i think would be to copy the data to a new table then delete the old table and rename the new one however we have constraints that will need to be dropped for this to work.

Answer 1

Your idea of a new table is the way to go.

On a development server, you can see the script that SSMS would produce if you change the data type using the table designer. It is a good start. This will add triggers and constraints back afterwards.

A tool like Red gate SQL Compare also allows you to check that everything was created OK