SQL Server 2005 setup contains an upgrade advisor component which will
analyze your existing RS 2000 installation. If it does not find any "upgrade
blockers", you will be able to upgrade to RS 2005 just by running setup and
have low downtime.
If there are upgrade blockers, you will need to perform a files-only
installation and perform manual steps to upgrade. These manual steps are
documented.
Generally, I strongly recommend to perform backups and a "dry-run" upgrade
before actually upgrading your production system.
-- Robert
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Todd Chittenden" <ToddChittenden@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:F4410AAF-65F3-4D0E-A3F2-A49AF1EEDB26@microsoft.com...
[quoted text, click to view] > We have 4 servers all loaded with only one instance each of SQL Server
> 2000.
> We are looking to upgrade to version 2005 in a few months and are trying
> to
> minimize the downtime associated with an upgrade. Is there a way to
> install
> v.2005 as a named instance alongside a v.2000 DEFAULT instance, then, once
> the 2005 instance is proven, make it the default instance?
>
> I have heard there is a way to rename an instance in SQL Server 2005, but
> this is a little different.
>
> Is there another approach I can take to minimize my server & database
> downtime while upgrading to SQL Server 2005?
>
> (All servers running Windows 2003 Server, and, we have a dedicated 'TEST'
> machine to work out various scenarios before applying them to production.)
> --
> Todd
