Upgrades, Migrations and/or Consolidations (Microsoft Access, SQL 2000 or SQL 2005)

Upgrades/Migrations

If you currently have MS Access, SQL Server 6.5, 7.0 and/or 2000 databases, we can help you to migrate to SQL Server 2005. This way, you can take advantage of many enhanced SQL Server 2005 database features, better performance, high availability and recoverability. We analyze your current structure, stored procedures, functions, security structure, DTS routines and many other aspects and determine if it is compatible with the new version or if it will have to be rewritten in order to upgrade correctly. We will create a comprehensive upgrade plan (in-place) or a migration plan (side-by-side).

The upgrade converts your existing database to the new version. Basically it overwrites the old version/instance of SQL Server with the new version while maintaining the data and metadata of the old system. At the end of the upgrade, the old instance is no longer available and the new instance has the same name as the old instance.

The migration provides access to two instances of the system, letting you verify and compare the two systems. During migration, both the old and new systems remain online until migration to the new instance is complete. At the end of the migration, all applications are directed to access the new instance and the old instance is manually removed.

Either plan will include details such as a test plan, backup processes for safety, a recovery plan in case the upgrade does not go smoothly, and the necessary changes before the upgrade can proceed.

Finally, we can help you migrate your existing database to Microsoft SQL Server. Maybe you have a legacy system using DBase, FoxPro, Sybase or some other database platform. We can use the same processes to convert you system to SQL Server.

Consolidations

We can also simplify the administration and maintenance of your databases by creating multiple instances of SQL Server 2000 and/or 2005 on a single server. In some cases, SQL Server sprawl causes an administration nightmare. Each application says it needs its own SQL Server. However, each of these servers is only running at a fraction of the total horsepower of the machine. With careful analysis, performance tuning and planning, many of these databases can coexist on the same server and thereby, save you money, free up a server and eliminate many database administration headaches.