Deploying a Scalable Shared Database

The Scalable Shared Database feature enables you to scale out a read-only database built exclusively for reporting (a reporting database). The reporting database must reside on a set of dedicated, read-only volumes whose primary purpose is hosting the database. By using commodity hardware for servers and volumes, you can scale out a reporting database that provides the same view of the reporting data on multiple reporting servers. This feature also allows a smooth update path for the reporting database. For more information, see Scalable Shared Databases Overview.

In This Section

• Scalable Shared Databases Overview
  Describes the benefits and restrictions of the Scalable Shared Database feature. Describes the processes that are required to build and update the reporting database.

• Ensuring a Correct Environment for a Scalable Shared Database
  Contains guidelines and recommendations for preparing your environment for scalable shared databases.

• Building or Refreshing a Reporting Database
  Describes recommendations for building the reporting database, introduces data-copy methods provided by SQL Server 2005 and later versions for copying data or databases, and describes the steps for building or refreshing a database on a set of reporting volumes.

• Maximizing Availability of a Scalable Shared Database
  Describes using two, alternate sets of reporting volumes to decrease downtime for a reporting database.

• Detaching a Scalable Shared Database
  Describes the steps of the removing a stale reporting database from a scalable shared database configuration and summarizes alternative strategies.

• Attaching a Reporting Database as a Scalable Shared Database
  Describes the steps for scaling out a reporting database as a scalable shared database.