Scalable Shared Databases

The scalable shared database feature, which is new in Microsoft SQL Server, allows you to scale out a read-only database built exclusively for reporting purposes (a reporting database). The reporting database must reside on a set of dedicated, read-only volumes whose primary purpose is hosting the database. Using commodity hardware for servers and volumes, you can scale out a reporting database that provides an identical view of the reporting data on multiple reporting servers. This feature also permits a smooth update path for the reporting database.

In This Section

Topic	Description
Overview of Scalable Shared Databases	Describes the benefits and restrictions of scalable shared databases and introduces the update cycle required for a scalable shared 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 for copying data or databases, and describes the steps for building or refreshing a database on a set of reporting volumes.
Attaching a Reporting Database as a Scalable Shared Database	Describes the steps for scaling out a reporting database as a scalable shared 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.
Maximizing Availability of a Scalable Shared Database	Describes using two, alternate sets of reporting volumes to decrease downtime for a reporting database.