Reconfiguring BizTalk to a new Database server

Question

Here's the situation. We've been running BizTalk 2013 with SQL Server 2008 backbone for several months now. Meaning, our messagebox, SSO and all other database related things have resided on a Windows 2008 R2/SQL Server 2008 Cluster with 2 nodes and BizTalk 2013 has been running with 2 nodes on Windows Server 2008 R2 as well. It's been working great, however it's not time to upgrade SQL Server in our organization and our BizTalk environment is next.

We've already got 2 new servers, SQL Server 2012 installed, the BizTalk SSO components are installed on them (the SQL Servers will also be serving as Master Secret Servers). The BizTalk Servers are going to stay on the same nodes, as-is.

I have not been able to find any specific information on how one should go about switching to a new SQL server for BizTalk (especially when upgrading versions). So as a worst case, I was thinking of this:

1. stopping all our BizTalk services
2. exporting all MSIs and bindings
3. Unconfiguring BizTalk servers
4. reconfigure to point at the new SQL
5. server cluster import all MSIs and bindings
6. start all services again

Is this the correct approach? I know there is the possibility of moving the BizTalk databases, but I was under the impression that moving from SQL Server 2008 to SQL Server 2012 is not a good possibility.

Has anyone done this, or have any better ideas?

Answer 1

Yes, you can follow the guidence here to move the databases: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee378546.aspx

So long as the version of SQL Server is supported by the version of BizTalk Server, which SQL Server 2012 is, you're ok.

The process you describe is essentially staging a new BizTalk Group, database and all. If you don't have to maintain long-running Orchestrations, this is the method I would recommend and take myself in your situation.

I've done both and un-Configure/re-Configure is just easier.