We are changing server providers for our three servers: Development, QA, and Production.
Our old hosts are creating images of the servers which will be sent to us and then sent off to the new providers to be uploaded.
Once the images are loaded and the servers are running, the new servers will be 1-2 weeks behind our current servers.
We are running SQL server 2012 along with Master Data Services.
Can I create database snapshots at the time the images are made and then compare those to snapshots created at a future date to find all changes made to the databases and then recreate them on the new servers?
Or could I create a snapshot of the databases on our current servers once the new servers are ready to go, and then use that snapshot (made on the old servers) to upload the data onto the new servers, bringing them up-to-date?
Are there any other suggestions on ways we can bring our new servers up-to-date with our current servers once the images are installed and the servers are running?
Thanks!
So it looks like the best option will be to create backups of the databases on the old servers once the new servers are up and running. Then I will restore the backups on the new servers along with transaction log backups.
I believe this will be the best way to migrate over to the new servers without losing any data in the process. I'll let you know how it turns out.