Accessing one db by two sql server installations (eg. native vs vmware)

Hi there

As many people nowadays, I have 2 XP installations on my laptop - one
running natively and one in vmware box running on ubuntu (situation
even more common with osx on intelmacs).

Since I would like to be able to work on same development projects in
both these environments, depending on the situation, I was wondering
how should I cope with DBs synchronization.

The simplest solution would be deploy the database in native windows
sql server installation, and attach the _same_ database files when
running from vmware (via sharing their folder on mounted ntfs
partition).

Would it be possible at all without any data corruption assuming I
would run the same server versions (same SPs applied etc.)?

thanks
HP

Re: Accessing one db by two sql server installations (eg. native vs vmware)

HP (ha5en1@gmail.com) writes:
> As many people nowadays, I have 2 XP installations on my laptop - one
> running natively and one in vmware box running on ubuntu (situation
> even more common with osx on intelmacs).
>
> Since I would like to be able to work on same development projects in
> both these environments, depending on the situation, I was wondering
> how should I cope with DBs synchronization.
>
> The simplest solution would be deploy the database in native windows
> sql server installation, and attach the _same_ database files when
> running from vmware (via sharing their folder on mounted ntfs
> partition).
>
> Would it be possible at all without any data corruption assuming I
> would run the same server versions (same SPs applied etc.)?

Wouldn't the simplest be to simply access the same SQL Server instance,
no matter if you are on the virtual machine or the host?

Database files on network shares is a dangerous affair, and not to
recommend. Note also that for it to work, you would need to detach the
database from one server, before you can attach to another?

If I really wanted to use the same database two server instance, I would
prefer to move the database with BACKUP/RESTORE.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/downlo ads/books.mspx
Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/previousversions/books .mspx