SQL script to “copy” a database

Question

I want to write a SQL script that will copy a database on the same server. I could do a backup/restore, but I think it might be faster to just \"copy\" somehow. Does anyon

Answer 1

Source for the script that copies a database.

USE master;

DECLARE
    @SourceDatabaseName AS SYSNAME = '', 
    @TargetDatabaseName AS SYSNAME = ''



-- ============================================
-- Define path where backup will be saved
-- ============================================
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.databases WHERE name = @SourceDatabaseName)
    RAISERROR ('Variable @SourceDatabaseName is not set correctly !', 20, 1) WITH LOG       

DECLARE @SourceBackupFilePath varchar(2000)
SELECT @SourceBackupFilePath = BMF.physical_device_name
FROM
    msdb.dbo.backupset B
    JOIN msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily BMF ON B.media_set_id = BMF.media_set_id
WHERE B.database_name = @SourceDatabaseName
ORDER BY B.backup_finish_date DESC

SET @SourceBackupFilePath = REPLACE(@SourceBackupFilePath, '.bak', '_clone.bak')



-- ============================================
-- Backup source database
-- ============================================
DECLARE @Sql NVARCHAR(MAX) 
SET @Sql = 'BACKUP DATABASE @SourceDatabaseName TO DISK = ''@SourceBackupFilePath'''
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@SourceDatabaseName', @SourceDatabaseName)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@SourceBackupFilePath', @SourceBackupFilePath)
SELECT 'Performing backup...', @Sql as ExecutedSql
EXEC (@Sql)



-- ============================================
-- Automatically compose database files (.mdf and .ldf) paths
-- ============================================
DECLARE
          @LogicalDataFileName as NVARCHAR(MAX)
        , @LogicalLogFileName as NVARCHAR(MAX)
        , @TargetDataFilePath as NVARCHAR(MAX)
        , @TargetLogFilePath as NVARCHAR(MAX)

SELECT
    @LogicalDataFileName = name,
    @TargetDataFilePath = SUBSTRING(physical_name,1,LEN(physical_name)-CHARINDEX('\',REVERSE(physical_name))) + '\' + @TargetDatabaseName + '.mdf'
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE
    database_id = DB_ID(@SourceDatabaseName)        
    AND type = 0            -- datafile file

SELECT
    @LogicalLogFileName = name,
    @TargetLogFilePath = SUBSTRING(physical_name,1,LEN(physical_name)-CHARINDEX('\',REVERSE(physical_name))) + '\' + @TargetDatabaseName + '.ldf'
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE
    database_id = DB_ID(@SourceDatabaseName)        
    AND type = 1            -- log file     



-- ============================================
-- Restore target database
-- ============================================
IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.databases WHERE name = @TargetDatabaseName)
    RAISERROR ('A database with the same name already exists!', 20, 1) WITH LOG        

SET @Sql = 'RESTORE DATABASE @TargetDatabaseName
FROM DISK = ''@SourceBackupFilePath'' 
WITH MOVE ''@LogicalDataFileName'' TO ''@TargetDataFilePath'',
MOVE ''@LogicalLogFileName'' TO ''@TargetLogFilePath''' 
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@TargetDatabaseName', @TargetDatabaseName)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@SourceBackupFilePath', @SourceBackupFilePath)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@LogicalDataFileName', @LogicalDataFileName)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@TargetDataFilePath', @TargetDataFilePath)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@LogicalLogFileName', @LogicalLogFileName)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@TargetLogFilePath', @TargetLogFilePath)
SELECT 'Restoring...', @Sql as ExecutedSql
EXEC (@Sql)