CODEWITHSUNDEEP
sqlsql-server
Adele
Adele

Reputation: 375

Copy rows between databases in SQL server

What's the most efficient way to copy a large amount of rows from a table in one database to another table in a different database that has the exact same structure?

Upvotes: 26

Views: 60725

Answers (7)

Nouman Bhatti
Nouman Bhatti

Reputation: 1421

Insert into targetdatabase.dbo.tablename
select * from sourcedatabase.dbo.tablename

NOTE: .dbo is important

If the columns are different in source and target tables then explicitly mention the columns for both tables. Do keep in mind that data types should be same

Upvotes: 12

Jaydeep Shil
Jaydeep Shil

Reputation: 1959

insert into CRS_New.dbo.SalesUpdateRBCustomerExternalRelationShipData_V1 (RBCustomerExternalEdgeKeyFather,RBCustomerExternalEdgeKeySon,EdgeLevelIndicator,Status,Edition,StatusValidFrom,ActiveIndicator,AddAttributeList_id) select RBCustomerExternalEdgeKeyFather,RBCustomerExternalEdgeKeySon,EdgeLevelIndicator,Status,Edition,StatusValidFrom,ActiveIndicator,AddAttributeList_id from CRS.dbo.SalesUpdateRBCustomerExternalRelationShipData_V11

Upvotes: -1

Amr Badawy
Amr Badawy

Reputation: 7693

you can simply user Copy Database Wizard
http://www.packtpub.com/article/copying-database-sql-2008-copy-database-wizard

Upvotes: 0

Justin King
Justin King

Reputation: 1428

A simple way is to open SSMS and Right click on database and go to Tasks > Import Data and follow the wizard to set source and destination.

This way if data exists on different systems and even if you wish to change structure you can do.

Also append, or cleanout data at same time from destination.

Upvotes: 7

Mike Cheel
Mike Cheel

Reputation: 13106

I would consider a bulk insert:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188365.aspx

Upvotes: 0

Callie J
Callie J

Reputation: 31326

If the databasesare on the same server, then it's trivial - you'd do it as if you were copying between tables in the same database, i.e.:

INSERT INTO targetdatabase..targettable (col1, col2, col3, col4)
    SELECT col1, col2, col3, col4 FROM sourcedatabase..sourcetable

If the databases are on different servers, you'll need to look at using one of OPENQUERY, OPENROWSET or linked servers to do the query, but fundamentally even with all these, you'd still be writing a variation on the command above.

Alternatively, it's a case of BCP out and BCP in or using SQL Server Management Studio's data transfer wizard.

Upvotes: 26

Remus Rusanu
Remus Rusanu

Reputation: 294437

If your log IO subsystem allows it, then:

INSERT INTO target(field1, field2, field3)
SELECT field1, field2, field3 FROM source;

But having the entire transfer occur in one single statement means one single transaction, which means that x2.5 data size log has to be generated and kept during the entire statement. Ie. if you transfer 50Gb, your target db log will grow to 250Gb (even if the recovery mode is set to simple!).

If you are concerned about log, then you have to transfer in batches. You can still do the INSERT ... SELECT trick, but your SELECT has to use some key range and batch acceptable number of rows.

Ultimately, you can always do a bcp out followed by a bcp in, it will work pretty fast and is probably the fastest way to get a reliable transfer going.

Upvotes: 18

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