The Linked Server Copy tool allows you to copy your linked servers from one SQL Server instance to another along with the associated settings and permissions, saving you the time it would take to move linked servers manually. With this tool you can:
- View all the linked servers that exist on the source server and not on the destination SQL Server instance.
- Copy all or specific linked servers from your source SQL Server instance to a destination SQL Server instance.
How the Linked Server Copy tool works
You can copy all linked SQL Server instances. If the remote authentication on a SQL Server instance is SQL Server authentication, must provide the password. You can copy all other linked servers without any additional steps.
If the type of provider is not compatible with the host, the copied linked server does not work correctly. For example, a jet provider (32-bit only) copied to a 64-bit system does not work.
Use the Linked Server Copy tool
To copy over a list of linked servers:
- Open the IDERA SQL Admin Toolset Launchpad, and then click Linked Server Copy.
- Select the source and destination SQL Server instances.
- Click Preview Missing Linked Servers.
- Either select the individual linked servers you want to copy or check the box at the top of the list to select all linked servers. All the linked servers that include a green Y in the All Passwords Moveable column are copied without any additional steps. Linked servers that include a red N require you to supply a password to copy.
- Click Copy Linked Servers.
To use the Specify Passwords window:
- Select a SQL Server instance from the Linked Servers column.
- Select the logins you want to copy from the list and enter the associated passwords.
- Repeat this for every SQL Server instance in the Linked Servers column.
- Click OK to copy the linked servers.
Logins that exist for the Linked Server on the source SQL Server instance are copied to the destination SQL Server instance.