i installed sce and sql on a single machine (a virtual server). i seem to be maxing out the cpu and so i have created a sql2005sp2 instance on another server. How do i move the DB to the other instance and point SCE to the new database. is there anything else i need to do? thanks

Hi Gunnery, So far, we do not have official documents or tools for SCE database migration. Actually we do not recommend to change SQL database instance after SCE has been deployed because this could lead to potential problems. My suggestion is to back up the database, reinstall SCE with choosing remote SQL instance, and then restore database from the backup to the remote SQL instance as a workaround. Here is some information about SCE backup and recovery, and I hope some steps will be helpful for this specific procedure. Also, please understand that I just provide the information for your reference and we cannot guarantee that it would work. Please perform complete backup and test the steps in your lab environment first. In order to be able to restore System Center Essentials from a disaster scenario, the user should have a backup of the following: Data and log files for the OperationsManager, OperationsManagerDW and SUSDB databases. The folder specified to store the update files. Update files are the actual files required to install an update on a computer. If the user has chosen to store update files on Microsoft Update, the update storage folder does not need to be backed up. Backup Create a backup of the database files: 1. First, find the SQL Server instance used for hosting the databases.a. The SQL Server instance hosting OperationsManager and OperationsManagerDW databases can be found from the following registry location on SCE Server:1) HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Operations Manager\3.0\Setup\DatabaseNameb. The SQL Server instance containing the SUSDB database can be found from the following registry location on SCE Server:1) HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Update Services\Server\Setup\SqlDatabaseName 2. Find the location of the data and log files of the databases, using the following steps:a. Open SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the instance hosting the required databaseb. Select the Databases node and select the database to be backed upc. Right click on the database and select Propertiesd. From the database properties dialog, select Files on the left side navigation paneSupporting System Center Essentials 2007e. The location of the data and log files are specified under the Path column of file properties 3. Backup the data and log file for the following databases by following the above steps:a. OperationsManagerb. OperationsManagerDWc. SUSDB Backup the update content files folder If the user selected to store update content file locally, all the updates are stored on a local folder. The location of that folder is found in the following registry entry: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Update Services\Server\Setup\ContentDir Restore Use the following steps to restore System Center Essentials 2007 in the case of a server failure: 1. If there is a backup of update content files folder, copy the files from that folder into a location that Essentials server can access2. Reinstall System Center Essentials on a new or reimaged server of the same name and in the same domain as the failed machine and select a database instance of the same name where OperationsManager database was hosted before. Specify the same action account that was used before.3. Specify the location of the existing update content files folder during the Essentials install. For example, if the update content files are copied to D:\WSUS\WsusContent folder, specify the update content location as D:\WSUS during in the Essentials setup wizard.4. Finish the System Center Essentials setup.5. Stop the OpsMgr Health Service, OpsMgr Config Service, OpsMgr SDK Service and Update Services services.6. Detach the newly created databases from the selected SQL Server database instance by following these steps:a. Launch SQL Server Management Studiob. Right click on the OperationsManager database and select Tasks -> Detachc. Repeat step b for the SUSDB and OperationsManagerDW databasesd. Right click on the Databases node and Attache. Click Add.. and select the .mdf and .ldf files of OperationsManager database that was previously backed upf. Repeat steps d and e for the SUSDB and OperationsManagerDW databases7. Start the OpsMgr SDK Service , OpsMgr Health Service, OpsMgr Config Service, and Update Services services.8. Launch the System Center Essentials console and run the Feature Configuration wizard.9. If the Local Policy option was used with the previous installation, select the Repair option for all managed computers from Administration -> Device Management -> Agent Managed view. Some TIPS about Remote Database in SCE 1. You must have a local SRS instance on SCE server.2. TCP/IP protocol in SQL Server Configuration Manager must be enable.3. SQL edition must be standard or enterprise. Hope this helps.-----------------------------Sincerely,Guozhen WangMicrosoft Online Community Support

thanks - given the things we are doing now, it would probably be easiest to just uninstall and reinstall the whole thing. thanks

Hi Gunnery, Thank you for your reply and I hope everything goes well with the operations. Also, if you encounter more issues regarding SCE in the future, please feel free to post back and we are happy to be of further assistance.-----------------------------Sincerely,Guozhen WangMicrosoft Online Community Support

Hi, people...So far.. did anybody knows how could I move the sce's databases to another sql server? My client has a server with sce and sql express in the same server, but the operationsmanagerdw database has reached maximum express database size limit - 4gb.I need to move the databases to another regular sql server or I need to upgrade the sql express to a regular version of sql... but I need to do this without having to reinstall the sce, neither backup/restore procedure....How could I solve this problem???Please, help me!