There are lots of companies that use Microsoft services for creating and editing databases and table records. It is one of the most sought-after technology when it comes to relational database management system. They keep upgrading their products to remove bugs and improve services. One may need to transfer database from SQL Server 2008 to 2014 to keep up with the latest requirements. It is better to have complete knowledge with respect to steps involved in performing the migration. There are different ways to perform this procedure without any data loss.

Different Ways to Transfer Database from SQL Server 2008 to 2014

Following is a snapshot of all the methods one can opt for when moving databases,

Transfer Database using Backup and Restore Option

  • First, archive the full database with all the instances.

  • Then, copy the backup to the target location.

  • Next, restore it on the destination Server specify the ‘WITH NORECOVERY’ option.

  • To migrate SQL Server 2008 database to 2014 by overwriting the pre-existing database, use the ‘WITH REPLACE’ option.

Move Database using Attach and Detach

  • First, detach the source Server by using the sp_detach_db stored procedure.

  • Then, copy the .mdf, .ldf and .ndf files to the destination computer.

  • Next, use the sp_attach_db stored procedure to attach the database to the target Server.

  • Browse to the location where the copied files are saved on the new machine.

Transfer using Import and Export Wizard

There is an inbuilt facility provided by Microsoft for SQL Server 2008 to 2014 migration. It is the Data Transformation Services Import and Export Data Wizard. It has the ability to transfer complete databases or selectively move objects to the destination database. It can be implemented by repeating the steps below:
First, go to SQL Server Management Studio on the source Server and select the database to export.

  • Then, right-click on it and go to Tasks >> Copy Database Wizard.

  • Now, select the source and destination credentials and choose appropriate settings.

  • Then, click Next or schedule SQL Server 2008 to 2014 migration for some other time.

  • Finally, click on the Execute button to implement the changes made.

Transfer SQL Server Scripts to Destination Server

First, launch the SQL Server Management Studio on the source server.

  • Then, select the database and right-click on it.

  • Then, go to Tasks >> Generate Scripts Wizard(GSW).

  • Next, select the appropriate choice from the multiple options available.

  • Make sure that the ‘script data = true’ is selected to move data as well.

  • Then, select Next >> Next >> Finish.

  • Next, connect to the Database Server and create a new database in it.

  • Then, select a ‘New Query’ button from the navigation bar and paste the scripts generated by the GSW.

  • Finally, execute them on the destination database.

Conclusion

It is a smarter decision to transfer database from SQL Server 2008 to 2014. It contributes towards organization’s growth and technology upgrade needs. There are far too many ways to perform this migration. It is not easy to understand and to implement them without any trouble. Even technical professionals can use some help now and again. This post discusses all the manual means to migrate SQL Server 2008 database to 2014. One can also go with SysTools SQL Server Database Migrator to transfer SQL Server database from one Server to another in a small down time in few clicks.