Compare Replicated Tables for Differences

Problem:- There is a mismatch in the data which is replicated in a transactional replication.

Solution :-

Step 1:- Need to identify the tables
Step 2:- Compare using TableDiff Utility
Step 3:- Update the same on subscriber as publisher wins always. (applicable only if data is less)
else we need to drop and re- add the article.



Replication Diff Tool Command Line Options

        usage: tablediff

          -- Source Options --
 -sourceserver          Source Host
 -sourcedatabase        Source Database
 -sourceschema          Source Schema Name
 -sourcetable           Source Table or View
 -sourceuser            Source Login
 -sourcepassword        Source Password
 -sourcelocked          Lock the source table/view durring tablediff

          -- Destination Options --
 -destinationserver     Destination Host
 -destinationdatabase   Destination Database
 -destinationschema     Destination Schema Name
 -destinationtable      Destination Table or View
 -destinationuser       Destination Login
 -destinationpassword   Destination Password
 -destinationlocked     Lock the destination table/view durring tablediff

          -- Misc Options --
 -t             Timeout
 -c             Column Level Diff
 -f             Generate Fix SQL (You may also specify a file name and path)
 -q             Quick Row Count
 -et            Specify a table to put the errors into
 -dt            Drop the error table if it exists
 -o             Output file
 -b             Number of bytes to read for blob data types
 -strict        Strict compare of source and destination schema
 -rc            Number of retries
 -ri            Retry interval

Example 1:-


C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\COM>tablediff -sourceserver SQBILS -sourcedatabase MSTER_DATA -sourcetable CustomrCRM-destinationserver ACPB01 -destinationdatabase PCTER_DATA_REPL -destinationtable CustomrCRM

Example 2:-
tablediff -sourceserver PRADYOTHNAP02 -sourcedatabase TELIPHONECALLS -sourcetable student -destinationserver santhoshc -destinationdatabase TELICALL_REPLICA destinationtable Student

SQL 2008 R2 database Move to A New SAN

SQL  2008 R2 database Move

We recently moved our SAN to a new one on a Clustered SQL  Server.  First SQL server service could not start and after fixing that SQL Agent would not start for over a week and finally Microsoft's tech support helped to find and fix the issue. I found out that I had Missed the last step called Follow-up: After Moving All System Databases  in these instructions.  And if it is a cluster environment then you need to perform this on the active node.

 If this is your first exposure to this process as it was for me,  these instructions might be useful to you.

You can find step by step database (including System DB) move on Microsoft's website http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345408(v=sql.105).aspx 

They are very clear and extremely helpful and that is what used When we moved from old SAN to a new one. I added my own notes and some scripts that would help simplify some of the process such as detaching and attaching databases, specially if you have lots of DBs to move.

Make a full back of each Database and save it on a non-clustered drives/location.

1. Run and save the result to run at the end your process.  This generates  the attach db statements. You need to to this first as you will not have access to them once you detach the databases. Then you can replace the drive and the path to point to the new location.

-- *********** First change the Query Results to text  *************

 select

Case

When fileid = 1 then ' EXEC sp_attach_db @dbname = N''' + [name]+ ''',' 

+char(13) +

' @filename1 = N''' + filename + ''','

when fileid = 2 then ' @filename2 = N''' + filename + ''';'
+char(13)

 end as [Name_path]

from sys.sysaltfiles

                                    where dbid not in (1,2,3,4)  -- All dbs except system dbs

2. Detach all databases except, System DBs. You can run following statements to generate the detach syntax

SELECT 'EXEC MASTER.dbo.sp_detach_db @dbname = N'''

+ Name + ''''FROM sys.sysdatabases

WHERE dbid not in (1,2,3,4) -- All dbs except system dbs

3. Change the System dbs file location ( except Master Db):

ALTER DATABASE  Model  MODIFY FILE ( NAME = modeldev, FILENAME = 'Drive Letter:\Path\model.mdf' )

ALTER DATABASE  Model  MODIFY FILE ( NAME = modellog , FILENAME = 'Drive Letter:\Path\modellog.ldf' )

ALTER DATABASE  MSDB MODIFY FILE ( NAME = MSDBData, FILENAME = 'Drive Letter:\Path\MSDBData.mdf' )

ALTER DATABASE  MSDB MODIFY FILE ( NAME = MSDBLog , FILENAME = 'Drive Letter:\Path\MSDBLog.ldf' )

ALTER DATABASE  tempdb MODIFY FILE ( NAME = tempdev , FILENAME = 'Drive Letter:\PathL\tempdb.mdf' )

ALTER DATABASE  tempdb MODIFY FILE ( NAME = templog , FILENAME = 'Drive Letter:\PathR\emplog.ldf' )

4. Move all the .mdf and .ldf files to the new location

5. Detach Model, MSDB and Tempdb

SELECT 'EXEC MASTER.dbo.sp_detach_db @dbname = N'''

+ Name + ''''FROM sys.sysdatabases

WHERE dbid in (2,3,4) -- Only system dbs except MASTER DB

Moving the master Database Procedure

Pasted from <http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345408(v=sql.105).aspx>

To move the master database, follow these steps. If this is clustered server then you need to perfrom these steps on all nodes

1. From the Start menu, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server, point to Configuration Tools, and then click SQL Server Configuration Manager.

2. In the SQL Server Services node, right-click the instance of SQL Server (for example, SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)) and choose Properties.

3. In the SQL Server (instance_name) Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.

4. Edit the Startup Parameters values to point to the planned location for the master database data and log files, and click OK. Moving the error log file is optional.

The parameter value for the data file must follow the -d parameter and the value for the log file must follow the -l parameter. The following example shows the parameter values for the default location of the master data and log files.

-dC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\master.mdf
-lC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\
DATA\mastlog.ldf

If the planned relocation for the master data and log files is E:\SQLData, the parameter values would be changed as follows:

-dE:\SQLData\master.mdf
-lE:\SQLData\mastlog.ldf

6. Stop the instance of SQL Server

 

7. Move Model, MSDB, Tempdb and Master data and log files to the new location

8. Restart the instance of SQL Server

If the msdb database is moved and the instance of SQL Server is configured for  Database Mail, complete these additional steps.

• Verify that Service Broker is enabled for the msdb database by running the following query.

  
SELECT is_broker_enabled
FROM sys.databases
WHERE name = N'msdb'
Important:

 

Follow-up: After Moving All System Databases

Pasted from <http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345408(v=sql.105).aspx>

If you have moved all of the system databases to a new drive or volume or to another server with a different drive letter, make the following updates.  If this is clustered server then you need to perfrom these steps on all nodes

Change the SQL Server Agent log path. If you do not update this path, SQL Server Agent will fail to start.

Change the database default location. Creating a new database may fail if the drive letter and path specified as the default location do not exist.

 

Change the SQL Server Agent Log Path

From SQL Server Management Studio, in Object Explorer, expand SQL Server Agent.  If this is clustered server then you need to perfrom these steps on all nodes

1. Right-click Error Logs and click Configure.

2. In the Configure SQL Server Agent Error Logs dialog box, specify the new location of the SQLAGENT.OUT file. The default location is C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.\MSSQL\Log\.

 

Change the database default location

1. From SQL Server Management Studio, in Object Explorer, right-click the SQL Server server and click Properties.

2. In the Server Properties dialog box, select Database Settings.

3. Under Database Default Locations, browse to the new location for both the data and log files.

4. Stop and start the SQL Server service to complete the change.

 If  any reason you cannot modify the error log path using Management Studio you modify the registry: Again  if this is clustered server then you need to perfrom these steps on all nodes

1. Go to START --> Run and type Regedit

2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> MICROSOFT -> Microsoft SQL Server ->

 MSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER -> SQLServerAgent and make sure it is pointing to the new location.

 

The concurrent snapshot for publication is not available because it has not been fully generated .

Problem:-

The snapshot files for a transactional publication are immediately removed after being generated by the snapshot agent.

Noticed that status of the publication articles are 3. Which is wrong either they should be 0 = Inactive, 1 = Subscribed or 2 = Active.

Solution :-

1) Delete the subscription and publication.

2) Check the tables to see if there are still rows for the publication database available:

select * from msdb..MSdistpublishers

select * from distribution..MSpublisher_databases

select * from distribution..MSarticles where publisher_db = 'distribution'

select * from distribution..MSsubscriptions where publisher_db = 'distribution'

3) Delete all rows that have still the 'publisher_db' from the just deleted publisher database:

delete from distribution..MSarticles where publisher_db = 'distribution'

delete from distribution..MSsubscriptions where publisher_db = 'distribution'

4) Re-create the publication subscriber and initialize.

Help Links :-

http://blogs.technet.com/b/claudia_silva/archive/2009/04/29/replication-snapshot-files-removed-after-being-generated.aspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324401

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/baf99181-2fe1-4e6b-ba45-5d1d08103550/initialize-subscription-failing

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1018339/the-concurrent-snapshot-for-publication-xx-is-not-available-because-it-has-not

Script to Enable/Disable Database for Replication

You can enable the database for replication using below script.

1 2 3 4 5

use master exec sp_replicationdboption @dbname = 'sqldbpool', @optname = 'publish', @value = 'true' go

If you have restore the database on test environment and you are getting the error that “Database is part of Replication”, you can clear/disable it by executing below query.

1 2 3 4 5

use master exec sp_replicationdboption @dbname = 'sqldbpool', @optname = 'publish', @value = 'false' go

List All Tables Starts With MDT

SP_TABLES

Syntax:-

sp_tables [ [ @table_name = ] 'name' ]
     [ , [ @table_owner = ] 'owner' ]
     [ , [ @table_qualifier = ] 'qualifier' ]
     [ , [ @table_type = ] "type" ]
     [ , [@fUsePattern = ] 'fUsePattern'];

Example :- 

Use Database
 go
EXEC sp_tables @table_name = 'mdt_%'

DBCC

More on :- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188796.aspx

Handy Information :-

Database Console Command statements are grouped into the following categories.

Command category	Perform
Maintenance	Maintenance tasks on a database, index, or filegroup.
Miscellaneous	Miscellaneous tasks such as enabling trace flags or removing a DLL from memory.
Informational	Tasks that gather and display various types of information.
Validation	Validation operations on a database, table, index, catalog, filegroup, or allocation of database pages. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

DBCC commands take input parameters and return values. All DBCC command parameters can accept both Unicode and DBCS literals.

 DBCC Internal Database Snapshot Usage

---

The following DBCC commands operate on an internal read-only database snapshot that the Database Engine creates. This prevents blocking and concurrency problems when these commands are executed. For more information, see Database Snapshots (SQL Server).

DBCC CHECKALLOC	DBCC CHECKDB
DBCC CHECKCATALOG	DBCC CHECKFILEGROUP
DBCC CHECKTABLE

When you execute one of these DBCC commands, the Database Engine creates a database snapshot and brings it to a transactionally consistent state. The DBCC command then runs the checks against this snapshot. After the DBCC command is completed, this snapshot is dropped.
Sometimes an internal database snapshot is not required or cannot be created. When this occurs, the DBCC command executes against the actual database. If the database is online, the DBCC command uses table-locking to ensure the consistency of the objects that it is checking. This behavior is the same as if the WITH TABLOCK option were specified.
An internal database snapshot is not created when a DBCC command is executed:

• Against master, and the instance of SQL Server is running in single-user mode.
  
• Against a database other than master, but the database has been put in single-user mode by using the ALTER DATABASE statement.
  
• Against a read-only database.
  
• Against a database that has been set in emergency mode by using the ALTER DATABASE statement.
  
• Against tempdb. In this case, a database snapshot cannot be created because of internal restrictions.
  
• Using the WITH TABLOCK option. In this case, DBCC honors the request by not creating a database snapshot.
  

The DBCC commands use table locks instead of the internal database snapshots when the command is executed against the following:

• A read-only filegroup
  
• An FAT file system
  
• A volume that does not support 'named streams'
  
• A volume that does not support 'alternate streams'
  

Note
Trying to run DBCC CHECKALLOC, or the equivalent part of DBCC CHECKDB, by using the WITH TABLOCK option requires a database X lock. This database lock cannot be set on tempdb or master and will probably fail on all other databases.

Note
DBCC CHECKDB fails when it is run against master if an internal database snapshot cannot be created.

Progress Reporting for DBCC Commands

---

The sys.dm_exec_requests catalog view contains information about the progress and the current phase of execution of the DBCC CHECKDB, CHECKFILEGROUP, and CHECKTABLE commands. The percent_complete column indicates the percentage complete of the command, and the command column reports the current phase of the execution of the command.
The definition of a unit of progress depends on the current phase of execution of the DBCC command. Sometimes progress is reported at the granularity of a database page, in other phases it is reported at the granularity of a single database or allocation repair. The following table describes each phase of execution, and the granularity at which the command reports progress.

Execution phase	Description	Progress reporting granularity
DBCC TABLE CHECK	The logical and physical consistency of the objects in the database is checked during this phase.	Progress reported at the database page level. The progress reporting value is updated for each 1000 database pages that are checked.
DBCC TABLE REPAIR	Database repairs are performed during this phase if REPAIR_FAST, REPAIR_REBUILD, or REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS is specified, and there are object errors that must be repaired.	Progress reported at the individual repair level. The counter is updated for each repair that is completed.
DBCC ALLOC CHECK	Allocation structures in the database are checked during this phase. Note DBCC CHECKALLOC performs the same checks.	Progress is not reported
DBCC ALLOC REPAIR	Database repairs are performed during this phase if REPAIR_FAST, REPAIR_REBUILD, or REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS is specified, and there are allocation errors that must be repaired.	Progress is not reported.
DBCC SYS CHECK	Database system tables are checked during this phase.	Progress reported at the database page level. The progress reporting value is updated for every 1000 database pages that are checked.
DBCC SYS REPAIR	Database repairs are performed during this phase if REPAIR_FAST, REPAIR_REBUILD, or REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS is specified, and there are system table errors that must be repaired.	Progress reported at the individual repair level. The counter is updated for each repair that is completed.
DBCC SSB CHECK	SQL Server Service Broker objects are checked during this phase. Note This phase is not executed when DBCC CHECKTABLE is executed.	Progress is not reported.
DBCC CHECKCATALOG	The consistency of database catalogs are checked during this phase. Note This phase is not executed when DBCC CHECKTABLE is executed.	Progress is not reported.
DBCC IVIEW CHECK	The logical consistency of any indexed views present in the database is checked during this phase.	Progress reported at the level of the individual database view that is being checked.

Informational Statements

---

DBCC INPUTBUFFER	DBCC SHOWCONTIG
DBCC OPENTRAN	DBCC SQLPERF
DBCC OUTPUTBUFFER	DBCC TRACESTATUS
DBCC PROCCACHE	DBCC USEROPTIONS
DBCC SHOW_STATISTICS

Validation Statements

---

DBCC CHECKALLOC	DBCC CHECKFILEGROUP
DBCC CHECKCATALOG	DBCC CHECKIDENT
DBCC CHECKCONSTRAINTS	DBCC CHECKTABLE
DBCC CHECKDB

Maintenance Statements

---

DBCC CLEANTABLE	DBCC INDEXDEFRAG
DBCC DBREINDEX	DBCC SHRINKDATABASE
DBCC DROPCLEANBUFFERS	DBCC SHRINKFILE
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE	DBCC UPDATEUSAGE

Miscellaneous Statements

---

DBCC dllname (FREE)	DBCC HELP
DBCC FREESESSIONCACHE	DBCC TRACEOFF
DBCC FREESYSTEMCACHE	DBCC TRACEON

Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2012

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645993%28v=sql.110%29.aspx#MDS

Cannot resolve the collation conflict between "SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS" and "SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS" in the equal to operation

• Collation was missing on the column which is highlighted, added the same and worked smoothly.