Moving from WID to SQL 2005

I currently have a single WSUS 3.0 server in place managing 4500 client
workstations and soon I will be managing 400+ Servers as well. I have a few
questions about how I should configure everything. I've chosen to use
replica servers at each remote site.

1st question is how easy/hard will it be for me to move the WID to a SQL2005
database.

2nd question is will I point all of my replica servers to the SQL2005
instance, if so how do I do that.

3rd I currently have a test downstream replica sever, I'd like to try and
point it to the Parent WSUS server's WID Instance instead of having the
remote server host its own WID Instance. Is this possible or should I wait
till I've moved everything over to SQL 2005 before I do this. Either way how
do I go about redirecting my replica server to the parent server's database?

"J" <J.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:835DF0F4-21DD-4500-8814-470C1C622B85@microsoft.com...
>I currently have a single WSUS 3.0 server in place managing 4500 client
> workstations and soon I will be managing 400+ Servers as well. I have a
> few
> questions about how I should configure everything. I've chosen to use
> replica servers at each remote site.

How many remote sites?

> 1st question is how easy/hard will it be for me to move the WID to a
> SQL2005
> database.

It's not difficult, just requires a nominal familairity with using SQL
Server Management Studio and/or SQLCMD. The process essentially involves
this:

[1] Stop the UpdateServices service.
[2] Detach the SUSDB database from the WID instance.
[3] Copy the SUSDB database to the SQL 2005 database folder.
[4] Attach the SUSDB database to the SQL 2005 database engine.
[5] Change the necessary registry values on the WSUS server to point to the
new database engine.

> 2nd question is will I point all of my replica servers to the SQL2005
> instance, if so how do I do that.

No... the *servers* will continue to point to the machine hosting the IIS
installation. (aka the "front-end" server).

> 3rd I currently have a test downstream replica sever, I'd like to try and
> point it to the Parent WSUS server's WID Instance instead of having the
> remote server host its own WID Instance. Is this possible or should I
> wait
> till I've moved everything over to SQL 2005 before I do this. Either way
> how
> do I go about redirecting my replica server to the parent server's
> database?

Not an option... every WSUS server must have its own dedicated database
server.

Only the master server will be directed to the back-end database server.
Each replica server must still have its own database server, and the replica
servers will be pointed at the front-end of your master server farm.


--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCTS, MCP
MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2007)
MS WSUS Website: http://www.microsoft.com/wsus
My Websites: http://www.onsitechsolutions.com;
http://wsusinfo.onsitechsolutions.com
My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Lawrence.Garvin