What is the best way to make an entire copy of an SDE geodatabase to a "test" SDE geodatabase?
The best method will be to do a Full database backup and restore.
Or else if you already have the test GDB created, you have got a few choices: Overview of copying geodatabases—ArcGIS Help | ArcGIS Desktop
Yes, I do have a TEST enterprise geodatabase already built.
But I am looking to have an exact duplicate, for testing purposes. I have read through the overview of copying and that doesn't seem to apply.
Should I delete the TEST enterprise geodatabase and do the SQL backup and restore?
Yes, that should help and be quick.
Which kind of Database (Oracle, SQL Server,etc) are you working with?
SQL Server
so just backup that SQL Server database and restore it on another Test instance and that should give you what you needed. An exact copy.
Can you explain "and restore it on another Test instance" ?
So do I need another existing instance, or am I creating the instance with restore?
An "instance" in SQL Server is a installation of SQL Server. Within that SQL Server instance, you can have multiple databases (as long as they do not have the same name). I think what Asrujit SenGupta is saying is to restore to the new SQL Server instance.
Example: Machine1\SQLServer to Machine2\SQLServer
Database Engine Instances (SQL Server)
I'm still new to SQL; Does this mean that I have to move off the current instance? Would it be possible to make a duplicate (TEST) database on the same instance? Is instance synonymous with machine? Can I have two instances on the same machine?
What would be the PROs & CONs of simply backing up the production database, and restoring to different named database (say, as TEST) in the same instance?
You can restore with a different name, but that is not supported with ArcGIS. You will not be able to connect from ArcGIS Desktop.
Ok, I think I understand it now. Thank you for you help.
Asrujit SenGupta and George Thompson's Blog
Since this is true (in SQL Server backup and restore a DB will not able ArcGIS to connect to it) what should be the way to make a copy of a full geodatabase (datasets, feature classes, tables, RCs, subtypes, domains)?
You CAN connect to a restored SQL Server DB as long as the name of the DB is UNCHANGED. In these cases you must restore to a different instance of SQL Server or remove the original DB and then restore to the original instance.
You can make a copy via Copy/Paste in Catalog once you reconcile/post/compress and verify that any versioned data is out of the delta tables.
Use simple Copy\Paste OR Export using XML Workspace documents.....that will copy everything you needed.
Asrujit SenGupta, Why can ArcGIS connect to a database created (backup and restore) on a same instance with different name? What is the technical limitation here exactly?
Adityaraj wrote:Asrujit SenGupta, Why can ArcGIS connect to a database created (backup and restore) on a same instance with different name? What is the technical limitation here exactly?
Adityaraj wrote:
Asrujit SenGupta, Why can ArcGIS connect to a database created (backup and restore) on a same instance with different name? What is the technical limitation here exactly?
I am confused. Are you asking why CAN ArcGIS connect or why it CAN'T?
FAQ: Can I restore an ArcSDE geodatabase with a different database name in SQL Server?
Error: An error is received when trying to access a SQL Server ArcSDE geodatabase that has been restored with a new name
CauseThe cause of such an error may be linked to restoring a database in SQL Server Enterprise Manager/Management Studio under a different name than the original backup or datafile.Unfortunately, it is not possible to rename an ArcSDE geodatabase once it has been created. The name of the original database is hard-coded in database objects. When the name of a database has been changed using a stored procedure or a database is restored to a name different from the original, the database cannot be be accessed via ArcSDE or ArcGIS clients.
The cause of such an error may be linked to restoring a database in SQL Server Enterprise Manager/Management Studio under a different name than the original backup or datafile.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to rename an ArcSDE geodatabase once it has been created. The name of the original database is hard-coded in database objects. When the name of a database has been changed using a stored procedure or a database is restored to a name different from the original, the database cannot be be accessed via ArcSDE or ArcGIS clients.
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