copying freextex indexes into multiple destination dbs on same dest server

Hi -
I've looked on Microsoft's web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q240867
and not yet been able to find a full answer to my question.
I'd appreciate any insight from others:
I have a database that has full text indexes on it, that I need to log ship
to multiple other (destination) servers. Also, to promote availability on
each of the destination servers, I plan to restore into two databases:
dest_db and dest_db_alt. Both are to have the same content, but different db
names. I intend to restore one set of dbs/logs from the source server into
standby mode in each destination database, sequentially, so that, with
proper client re-direction, a client hitting the destination server will
always get redirected to a read-only db in standby mode. While one db is
restoring, the other is readable. Ok, fair enough.
Now, the tricky part. The source db is freextex indexed, and one can't
build/rebuild freetext indexes on a db in standby or read-only mode. So,
apparently I'll have to copy the freetext index directory trees from the
source server and restore them on the destination server. What I'm uncertain
about is whether I'll be able to:
a) Use one set of freetext indexes files for both destination dbs (I don't
think so, If I understand things correctly),
b) Properly set the registry keys and directory/file names on the freetext
catalogs on the destination server so that even though at least one of the
destination dbs (necessarily) has a different dbid than the source database,
it will still be able to have a functioning freetext index. From the
generally related material I read it seems as if the registry keys map the
freetext catalog path(s) into SQL Server, and those catalog paths use dbids
and ftcatids integrated into their folder names to map a set of catalog
files to a dbid.
So here is my question: Can I just make multiple copies of the freetext
catalog files, differing only in the dbid portion of the folder name, and
then, using registry keys, map the newly created Freetext catalog folder(s)
into SQL Server with the relevant dbids on the destination server ?
Are dbids, or other database specific unique identifiers, hard coded within
the freetext catalog files themselves ?
Is there other important information I have to consider here ?
Thanks
Steve
Use replication for this. Create your catalogs and full text indexes using a
post snapshot script or create the tables and catalogs in advance, full text
index the tables, and then configure your article to delete the data not
drop and recreate the table (in the article properties section select the
browse button to the right of your table name, and in the snapshot tab, in
the name conflicts section , select delete all data).
Hilary Cotter
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
Looking for a FAQ on Indexing Services/SQL FTS
http://www.indexserverfaq.com
"Steve" <Steve_a013452@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:OJ9F4IqGGHA.2704@.TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hi -
> I've looked on Microsoft's web site:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q240867
> and not yet been able to find a full answer to my question.
> I'd appreciate any insight from others:
> I have a database that has full text indexes on it, that I need to log
> ship to multiple other (destination) servers. Also, to promote
> availability on each of the destination servers, I plan to restore into
> two databases: dest_db and dest_db_alt. Both are to have the same content,
> but different db names. I intend to restore one set of dbs/logs from the
> source server into standby mode in each destination database,
> sequentially, so that, with proper client re-direction, a client hitting
> the destination server will always get redirected to a read-only db in
> standby mode. While one db is restoring, the other is readable. Ok, fair
> enough.
> Now, the tricky part. The source db is freextex indexed, and one can't
> build/rebuild freetext indexes on a db in standby or read-only mode. So,
> apparently I'll have to copy the freetext index directory trees from the
> source server and restore them on the destination server. What I'm
> uncertain about is whether I'll be able to:
> a) Use one set of freetext indexes files for both destination dbs (I don't
> think so, If I understand things correctly),
> b) Properly set the registry keys and directory/file names on the freetext
> catalogs on the destination server so that even though at least one of the
> destination dbs (necessarily) has a different dbid than the source
> database, it will still be able to have a functioning freetext index. From
> the generally related material I read it seems as if the registry keys map
> the freetext catalog path(s) into SQL Server, and those catalog paths use
> dbids and ftcatids integrated into their folder names to map a set of
> catalog files to a dbid.
> So here is my question: Can I just make multiple copies of the freetext
> catalog files, differing only in the dbid portion of the folder name, and
> then, using registry keys, map the newly created Freetext catalog
> folder(s) into SQL Server with the relevant dbids on the destination
> server ?
> Are dbids, or other database specific unique identifiers, hard coded
> within the freetext catalog files themselves ?
> Is there other important information I have to consider here ?
> Thanks
> Steve
>