Upgrading to SQL Server 2005 on Go Daddy Shared Hosting - Part 1
Summary
Go Daddy does not provide an automated upgrade from SQL Server 2000 to 2005 on their shared hosting plan. To perform the upgrade, you will need to back-up and delete the existing 2000 database, create a new 2005 database and restore the schema and data into the new database.
Part 1 of this tutorial uses the Go Daddy Control Panel exclusively to upgrade to 2005. You should be aware that there is a potential risk of losing your data should there be a problem with the backup or restore process.
Part 2 of this tutorial adds a fail-safe set of steps to ensure you can recover in the event of a problem.
Introduction
Go Daddy introduced SQL Server 2005 to their Windows Shared Hosting Plans in June 2007. All new databases created under the plan from that point are hosted in SQL Server 2005.
Customers who created their databases prior to that date are on the older SQL Server 2000 servers. There is no reason to switch to 2005 unless you have a compelling business reason. One such reason is to be able to run applications and features that require 2005, such as Community Server 2007 from Metropolis.
Go Daddy does not provide an automated upgrade to SQL Server 2005. In summary, to upgrade to 2005 you will need to delete the existing 2000 database, create a new 2005 database and transfer the schema and data into the new database. You will then need to ensure that all applications connecting to the database use the changed connectivity details to find the new server and database.
Part 1 of the tutorial uses the Go Daddy Control Panel to perform the steps required for a manual upgrade of the database.
For web owners with an active database, the thought of deleting it should make the heart beat a little faster. How long will the site be "in transit" without a usable database? What if something goes wrong with restoring the data? How should you plan for potential problems in advance?
Part 2 of the document takes a belt-and-braces approach to upgrading your database. By "belt-and-braces" we mean having a fall-back solution in place that will recreate your schema and data even if something goes wrong with the Go Daddy backup-and-restore method. This requires the use of additional Microsoft tools, which are available through free download.
Part 1: The Go Daddy Backup and Restore Method
Are you concerned about the small possibility of losing your existing schema and data during the upgrade? Perhaps not! If you haven't done much work with the 2000 database, then by all means rely on the Go Daddy backup-and-restore method.
Summary of Steps using the Go Daddy Method
These are the steps this walk-through will follow.
1. Back up the existing 2000 database
2. Delete the existing database
3. Create a new 2005 database
4. Restore the backup into the new database
5. Switch all database connections in the website application to point at the new database
Step 1. Back up the existing 2000 database
This article has a step-by-step walkthrough of the process to back up a SQL Server database on Go Daddy shared hosting.
The backup article opens in a separate browser window. When you're finished, close the backup window and read on here!
Step 2. Delete the existing database
This is the point where the palms of the webmaster start getting sweaty. From step 2 to step 5 of this process, your database will be unavailable to users. It's important that you've thought of the implications in advance, and have prepared accordingly. Do you need to warn your users? Should you take the web applications offline? We'll assume you've thought it through and are ready to proceed!
This article has a step-by-step walkthrough of the process to delete a SQL Server database on Go Daddy shared hosting.
Assume that the delete process will take up to five minutes to complete.
Step 3. Create the new database
As you already had a 2000 database on your website, presumably you've created a database at least once with the Go Daddy Control Panel. We won't go into the process in detail.
Assume that the database creation step will take up to eight minutes.
Step 4. Restore the backup into the new database
This article has a step-by-step walkthrough of the process to restore a backup file into a SQL Server database on Go Daddy shared hosting.
Assume that the restore process will take five to ten minutes.
Step 5. Switch all application database connections
Be aware that in a shared hosting environment it is quite likely that your new database is created on a different host SQL Server than the one you've just deleted. Also, you may not be able to re-use the database name that you had previously specified. This is less likely, it all depends on whether there is already a database of that name on the server you are provided.
The database connection details used by your web application must be changed to reflect the new server name, and possibly the new user name (and password if you decide to change that too).
You won't know the server host name until the database has been created and the Go Daddy Database Information screen has been refreshed to show the new details.
Reducing Downtime for ASP.Net 2.0 Web Applications
To reduce the downtime of your application, you need to change the database connection quickly and upload the details immediately. For example, if this is an ASP.Net 2.0 application, you will be updating the details in the configuration file.
For a fast upload, run Visual Studio or VWD Express on your local environment and have the web.config file open for editing.
At the same time, be ready to upload the web.config file - with the Go Daddy FTP Client or your preferred FTP tool. Have the FTP tool connected and ready to be used.
When your web browser refreshes and shows the new database configuration details, copy the server name (and database name and password if changed) into the web.config file. Then upload the changed web.config file to the live site.
So what could go wrong?
The worst-case scenario is that having deleted the SQL 2000 database, your backup file is corrupted and won't load into the new SQL 2005 database. This will leave you with an empty 2005 database and a great big headache.
Is this likely? No. But a good database administrator expects and plans for the worst.
Part 2: Belt and Braces
In Part 2 of this tutorial, we add some additional steps to the process to ensure that you can recover your schema and data even if the backup file is unusable. To achieve this level of disaster recovery, you'll need to have some standard DBA (Database Administrator) tools installed in your local environment.
Summary
Part 1 of this tutorial used the Go Daddy Control Panel exclusively to upgrade to 2005. You should be aware that there is a potential risk of losing your data should there be a problem with the backup or restore process.
Part 2 of this tutorial adds a fail-safe set of steps to ensure you can recover in the event of a problem.
Submitted: 21 June 2007
Author: Margaret Cruise O'Brien
(c) M.C.O.B. Technology 2007