So, I have a primary database performing log shipping to a secondary
database. The logs are being backed up shipped and restored onto the
secondary.. NOW WHAT?

Trying to test the effectiveness of the solution, but have not found a
single article on how to promote or activate, etc the secondary backup
database and move it into a normal database instead of "Restoring". I
understand doing so would require a new full backup on the primary and
restore onto the secondary.

[quoted text, click to view]


These topics in Books Online may help - if you haven't found them
already.
Failing Over to a Log Shipping Secondary

Using Warm Standby Servers

You mean there is documentation that comes with this product!?!?

Thanks I will definately look that up. While I've got someone's ear..
How would the following scenario play out?

Given:
Primary: Backup(A). Every 15min transaction log is backed up and
shipped to secondary.
Secondary: Restore(A). Apply transaction logs with NORECOVER every 15
minutes.

Primary server catches fire and is completely unrecoverable some time
after the last transaction log was shipped and applied which contained
uncommitted transactions and before the next transaction log could be
backed up and shipped an therefore able to perform the restore with
RECOVER thus bringing the database into a usable state.

I am assuming you can't reapply the last transaction log already
applied but with the RECOVER option set in order to bring it to a
consistant state.. is this a true assumption?

Let's also assume that the original backup (A) was 8 months ago. Thus
it is useless due to the fact that we are only keeping transaction logs
on the secondary for 72 hours.



[quoted text, click to view]