3.6.0 MxDB for SQL Server Installation and Administration Guide (5697-7088, December 2007)

Chapter 8: Upgrade Production SQL Servers 119

Also ensure that the component versions match. The following generic

components should be identical on the test and production machines.

If you are unable to create an identical test machine, we recommend that

you create a scaled-down version of your production machine and test

any upgrades on it. Be sure to scale down the workload as well. Although

a scaled-down machine deviates from the real environment, it will enable

you to verify that the dependency among components does not affect

SQL server availability after the upgrade.

3. Back Up the Current Machine State

Before performing the upgrade, you should back up the current state of

the production machine. The backup should include the general

machine-wide state and the SQL instance-specific state.

The machine-wide state includes the following:

• Registry settings

• Machine name, network settings, accounts

• Shared SQL files and DLL

•Operating system

The SQL instance-specific state includes the following:

• Data (master database, model database, user database)

• Number of SQL instances • .Net CLR service packs

• Settings of SQL instances • Network card and firmware

• SQL service packs • Network card settings

• SQL hot fixes • Number of Network cards

• Operating system version • HBA card and firmware

• Operating system service packs • Number of HBA card

• Operating system security updates • Number of CPUs

• Matrix Server version • Amount of physical memory

• SQL Server Solution Pack version • Third-party software

•.Net CLR version