BTW, you really should look into the new M-Data Analytics project. I think we could use your skills and you seem like someone who would like to go further with SQL Server as well.

I’ll be blogging prolifically about it in the coming weeks.

/* This procedure exists on the Report M2M server – */
/* I also have a code snippet that confirms that there are no open tansacts or users on the table prior to copy*/
/* I drop the report server tabels, then move only the core M2M tables over, then run any SQL Stored Procedures on the report server – thus taking the load off the production server and generating whatever they need via a schedule task using VB.Net */

CREATE PROCEDURE spn_CopyFromM2MProdSQL
As
/* Drop the Tables from the Report server – the report server name is M2MRPTSQLServer, the database is ‘RPTM2MDATA01′ */
begin
if exists(select * from RPTM2MDATA01.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.tables where TABLE_CATALOG = ‘RPTM2MDATA01′ AND TABLE_SCHEMA=’dbo’ AND TABLE_NAME=’apitem’)
DROP TABLE RPTM2MDATA01.dbo.apitem
if exists(select * from RPTM2MDATA01.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.tables where TABLE_CATALOG = ‘RPTM2MDATA01′ AND TABLE_SCHEMA=’dbo’ AND TABLE_NAME=’apmast’)
DROP TABLE ReportM2MDATA01.dbo.apmast
if exists(select * from RPTM2MDATA01.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.tables where TABLE_CATALOG = ‘RPTM2MDATA01′ AND TABLE_SCHEMA=’dbo’ AND TABLE_NAME=’apvend’)
DROP TABLE ReportM2MDATA01.dbo.apvend

/*repeat for each table you may need, like SOMAST, INMAST etc – Follow the same for other companies.*/
end

/* COPY the database tables from the production SQL M2M instance – M2MProdSQL to the new M2M Report Server – ‘RPTM2MDATA01′ */
begin
/*M2MProdSQL is the production M2M SQL server */
SELECT * INTO m2mdata01.dbo.apitem FROM M2MProdSQL.m2mdata01.dbo.apitem
SELECT * INTO m2mdata01.dbo.apmast FROM M2MProdSQL.m2mdata01.dbo.apmast
SELECT * INTO m2mdata01.dbo.apvend FROM M2MProdSQL.m2mdata01.dbo.apvend
end
GO

Do you want to know how many connections you have to each SQL database? I find this useful, as every now and then I find old connections that should be cleared but hung for some reason or other.

()
select db_name(dbid),count(*) from master..sysprocesses
where spid > 49 –everyting below 50 is SQL Server itself
group by db_name(dbid)

database connections
M2MDATA01 6
M2MDATA50 2
master 1

Then run ()
exec sp_who2

Just a little snippet if anyone needs

You don’t need to install Visual FoxPro on the server itself. Therefore you could use your company PC for that. Also, you can use Windows Server for a 60 day trial period at no cost. Of course you can complete disaster recovery exercises in less than 60 days.

In addition, a test server (for custom code and such) only needs Windows XP, not server and most office PC’s come with a licensed copy so there’s no extra cost there either.

For starters I doubt any of my old desktop PCs could run everything my server does (even at a drastically reduced speed).

Secondly I would also have to buy the following software to do it legally.

Windows Server 2003
Visual Fox Pro

Scott, as far as cost, you can build one of these out of an old, decommissioned desktop computer and the only cost you have is for SQL Server Developer edition. The cost is about $50.