7 Reasons to Choose a Side-by-Side Upgrade for Your SQL Server
So, your Microsoft SQL Server is showing its age, and you need to upgrade it. What’s the best approach—an in-place upgrade or a side-by-side upgrade? For many businesses, especially those in industries like healthcare or banking, where reliability, security, and performance are non-negotiable, a side-by-side SQL Server upgrade is often the smarter choice.
But first, what exactly is a side-by-side upgrade, and how is it different from an in-place upgrade?
What is a side-by-side upgrade?
Let’s start with defining an in-place upgrade, as it’s the approach that many people think of first. An in-place upgrade involves updating your current SQL Server installation directly on the existing hardware or Virtual Machine. You run the setup program on the existing server and allow it to “replace” the older version of SQL Server.
In contrast, a side-by-side upgrade involves setting up a new SQL Server environment alongside your existing one. You create a new VM with a new operating system. Then, you install, configure, and test the new server independently before migrating data, applications, and workloads from the old server to the new one. Once everything is fully migrated and tested, the old server can be decommissioned.
A side-by-side upgrade provides a fresh start, offering flexibility and control throughout the process. While it may require more upfront planning and resources, the long-term benefits often outweigh the effort.
7 reasons to choose a side-by-side approach
Let’s look at 7 reasons we recommend a side-by-side approach to upgrading a SQL Server.
1. Minimal downtime
One of the biggest perks of a side-by-side upgrade is reduced downtime. Because you’re running the old and new servers in parallel, your business-critical applications don’t have to halt operations during the transition. This approach allows you to migrate at your own pace, testing and troubleshooting without disrupting your user base.
When it’s time for the final go-live, you can migrate a differential backup and log backups, and you’re up and running again.
2. A safety net
In-place upgrades can be risky. If something goes wrong, rolling back can get complicated. A common way to mitigate the risk is to restore a VM snapshot after the failed upgrade. However, that can make troubleshooting the failure more difficult.
With a side-by-side upgrade, you always have your old server as a fallback. If an issue arises, you can troubleshoot without disrupting your entire system or risking data loss.
3. Enhanced testing opportunities
A new SQL Server version often includes new features and performance improvements, as well as some deprecated features and behavioral changes. You’ll want to test these before going live with the new SQL Server version.
A side-by-side approach allows you to thoroughly test compatibility, performance, and configurations before going live, reducing surprises after the switch.
4. A clean slate for configuration
Over time, servers tend to accumulate unnecessary settings, unused features, and outdated configurations. This is true for SQL Server, but it also applies to the operating system as well.
A side-by-side upgrade allows you to start fresh—with a brand new, pristine install of the O/S and the SQL Server. You can fine-tune your new server to meet current needs without carrying over old baggage.
5. Seamless migration for applications
Applications relying on your SQL Server might require updates or at least some vendor coordination during the upgrade. With an in-place upgrade, you’ll have to iron out all of those complications before the upgrade.
With a side-by-side upgrade, you can migrate applications incrementally, ensuring each works correctly before moving to the next.
6. Simpler major version upgrades
When upgrading from an older SQL Server version, certain major version jumps (e.g., SQL Server 2008 R2 to SQL Server 2022) are not supported in an in-place upgrade. You have to do a double hop, upgrading to SQL Server 2016 and then to 2022.
Side-by-side upgrades provide the flexibility to bypass these limitations. A SQL Server 2008 (10.x) backup file can be restored to SQL Server 2022 (16.x) without changing its compatibility level (as long as the database backup has a compatibility level of 100 or higher). See Upgrade SQL Server and Supported Versions and Editions Upgrades for more details.
7. Consolidated and streamlined environment
A side-by-side upgrade is the perfect time to assess your current SQL Server environment. Are there databases you no longer need? Could some instances be consolidated to save costs and simplify management? Do some databases require different levels of availability?
With a side-by-side approach, you can consider what you want your SQL environment to look like.
Partner with experts for a smooth transition
We know that upgrading SQL Server can be a significant undertaking. Our base project plan for an upgrade project for a client has more than 100 steps for a single SQL Server. Then, once we begin, we customize the plan based on the client’s environment and requirements.
Partnering with SQL Server experts like The SERO Group ensures experienced DBAs handle those potential challenges, keeping your data secure, applications compatible, and systems performing at their best from day one.
Do you have an upcoming upgrade project? Schedule a no-obligation discovery call with us to discuss how a side-by-side upgrade can transform your SQL Server environment!