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I'm currently working on a migration plan to migrate our SQL Server to some new hardware.

The current installation is SQL Server 2005 standard: it used to be clustered but the node got removed at some point, but still is configured as a clustered. The new server will be a SQL Server 2008 standard machine, non-clustered.

I'm wondering whether or not I should transfer the master database from the old machine to the new one? I mean, while the databases it hosts are going to be the same, the configuration is going to be different (different versions and not clustered).

In addition of transferring the user databases, my approach was to script all the logins, users, jobs, etc and restore them on the new machine, but I'm afraid of forgetting something? On the other hand, I'm anxious of compatibilities issues by transferring the master database due to the different version (SQL 2005 vs 2008 and clustered vs non-clustered).

Please could someone provide me with some clarification on the caveats of each option vs the other?

2 Answers 2

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You should not restore the master database to a different target machine than the one it was backed up from.

Since you say the backup is part of a (failed) cluster, you definitely don't want to restore that to a non-clustered server (with a completely different hostname.)

Among the reasons why you shouldn't is that each SQL Server installation generates local user and group accounts that grant rights on the database server, and encryption keys specific to THAT instance of SQL Server.

Restoring the master database elsewhere means that information will no longer match the original server.

That said, the master database does contain all security credentials and login information, so you may want to temporarily restore it somewhere to extract this information.

Jobs are not stored in the master database.

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  • Thanks, that's mostly the reason why I assumed it was a bad idea then. I understand jobs etc are in msdb then. Is it a good idea to transfer this one or should I transfer these using scripts? May 7, 2012 at 15:21
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I'd transfer the master database (probably msdb and modal as well), but I wouldn't call it master on the new server. I'd restore it as something like master-old, so you can at least query it to get job details, or logins out if you need them. But I'd really treat it only as a failsafe, in case you forget something, or your login/job/whatever scripts fail.

There's a lot that can get unwired when doing a database migration, SSIS packages, jobs, logins can all be a bit picky. If you can, keep both databases online as you do the migration, or at least practise on a VM.

In short, restoring a 2005 clustered master over the top of a 2008 non-clustered master will almost certainly result in bad stuff. I think.

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  • ..what job details?
    – adaptr
    May 7, 2012 at 15:10
  • All the SQL Server agent jobs, their steps and schedules...? Come to think of it, that's not in master, that's in msdb.
    – growse
    May 7, 2012 at 15:12
  • Thanks, I understand jobs etc are in msdb then. Is it a good idea to transfer this one or should I transfer these using scripts? May 8, 2012 at 9:22
  • Personally, I'd do both, just in case something messes up. Use scripts, but make sure you can restore an old version of msdb if you have to.
    – growse
    May 8, 2012 at 9:37

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