SQL Server 2005 – Moving System Databases
I have recently had SQL Server 2005 setup by a web host, however, they kept the system databases on the C: drive, which in my book is a no no. I am not a DBA so I don’t know everything but my main reasons for moving these databases are:
1) For performance, you want your data(.mdf) and log(.ldf) files on separate drives.
2) Due to limited space on the C: drive, these files need room to grow. Especially tempdb.
3) Keeping the house clean. It is nice to have all the server files that need to be backed up in a single spot. (i.e. web site, email, database, etc.)
Moving these databases is not a trivial task. There does appear to be a little bit of work that could be error prone if done manually. So, it was very nice to stumble across an article by Vince Iacoboni who describes the process and provides a script to make the change. The great thing about Vince is he is active in the discussion board regarding his article and script.
