Step 2: SQL Server 2005 upgrade prerequisites

With a clear understanding of your upgrade needs, you can jump into the technical steps to complete the migration.

• Determine your product version upgrade path.
• See "Version and Edition Upgrades" in SQL Server 2005 Books Online

• Verify that your SQL Server 2005 environment meets hardware and software requirements.
• See Hardware and Software Requirements for Installing SQL Server 2005

• Ensure that your SQL Server 2005 environment is capable of supporting future needs from a user and transaction perspective.
• Review your legacy SQL Server configurations and objects using SQL Server 2005 Upgrade Advisor to determine potential issues prior to the upgrade. This Microsoft tool is valuable to understanding issues in the environment.
• See Using Upgrade Advisor to Prepare for Upgrades and the SearchSQLServer.com tip Reduce upgrade unknowns with SQL Server 2005 Upgrade Advisor

• Set up an environment to test the migration process as well as front-end applications and dependent (upstream and downstream) systems' functionality.
• Take a holistic view of the environment to ensure you don't overlook any applications because the components that are overlooked become issues during the process.

Migrating to SQL Server 2005

 Home: Introduction
 Step 1: What to upgrade
 Step 2: Upgrade prerequisites
 Step 3: Migration options
 Step 4: Additional considerations

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jeremy Kadlec Jeremy Kadlec is the Principal Database Engineer at Edgewood Solutions, a technology services company delivering professional services and product solutions for Microsoft SQL Server. He has authored numerous articles and delivers frequent presentations at regional SQL Server Users Groups and nationally at SQL PASS. Jeremy is also SearchSQLServer.com's Performance Tuning expert. Ask him a question. Copyright 2006 TechTarget

More information from SearchSQLServer.com

Tip: Reduce upgrade unknowns with SQL Server 2005 Upgrade Advisor

Learning Guide: SQL Server 2005 Learning Guide

Book Excerpts: SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

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