How to move SharePoint SQL Server 2017 Database on Sharepoint SQL Server 2016

Question

Development environment has SharePoint 2016 with SQL server 2017. Now on staging environment client need SharePoint 2016 with SQL server 2016.

We need to copy the content database from development to staging server. Kindly suggest.

Answer 1

Since all SharePoint databases should be running at a compatibility level of 110, it should be possible to take a backup from your existing SQL 2017 server, restore those databases to SQL 2016, then mount them to SharePoint. If your databases are not at compatibility level 110, set them to that prior to taking a backup.

It's important to note that if the SQL Server name isn't the same, you will need to configure a SQL alias on all of your SharePoint servers using cliconfg.exe.

Answer 2

I think using the database dismounting and mounting we can not downgrade the database - but using the third party migration tool like sharegate, Metalogix etc we can do it.

And also you could try downgrading the database version while taking the backup at SQL level only using the database export approach.

You can refer the below thread for the same:

Downgrading Sharepoint Database from SQL2008 to SQL2005

Similar question is discussed here, the answer was below :

"At first you run Test-SPContentDatabaseto see if you're missing fetures or site definitions. If you do, you need to install the solutions and site definitions that are missing.

Test-SPContentDatabase -name "wss_content" -webapplication http://sp76:2222 -ServerInstance "SP76"

When you have a successful run of Test-SPContentDatabase, you run Upgrade-SPContentDatabase, which will migrate the database schema of your content database to the 2013 farm schema.

Upgrade-SPContentDatabase wss_content

When your database is upgraded, mount it using the cmdlet Mount-SPContentDatabase."

Source :

The content database has a schema version which is not supported this version

You may refer to the below MSDN article for the mounting and dismounting :

Attach or detach content databases in SharePoint Server

Move all databases in SharePoint Server