Steps in validating data

Hi Rose,


This is a fairly broad question but I'll give it shot.


Perhaps more - or at least as - important as validating your data on the new server is ensuring that the new server is setup correctly. One major stumbling point in the latter is ensuring that the collations match, or are at least compatible. I won't go into detail about this here except to say that an incorrect collation can cause you a world of pain, especially with regard to searching and text comparison. (This can be a major headache as well if you run an auxiliary/admin database if the collations do not match.)


Assuming to have a well-setup server and have moved your data to it - and have adequately backed that data up beforehand! - I'd be inclined to run the maintenance checks provided by Blackbaud Management Console (BBMC). Included there are an integrity check, a re-indexer, a statistics updater and a shrink facility (as well as a scheduler for any or all of these). You may (should?), of course, have had these running regularly on your old server.


My feeling is that if the data from your old server is in good shape, then moving it to a properly-setup new server should be relatively painless. BBMC actually provides a helper facility for moving your database as well, though I've occasionally run into issues (re-)attaching databases using it and generally prefer SQL Server Management Studio (SMSS), but that's just a personal preference.


Cheers,

Steve Cinquegrana | CEO and Principal Developer | Protégé Solutions