SQL7 to SQL2000 Migration

[LizP]

Hi, guys - looking for a bit of help/advice on moving a database from
SQL 7 to SQL 2000.

We've a third party application which currently uses a SQL7 database.
This database has a number of views which are owned by user
INFORMATION_SCHEMA and are set as system tables. This user doesn't
actually have a login on the SQL server.

We've tried the following to recreate the database on SQL2000, but
whatever we try, the views owned by INFORMATION_SCHEMA won't copy over
from SQL7:

(1) We tried the "Copy Database" wizard in SQL2000, but were getting
errors when trying to actually copy the database (other steps worked
fine).
(2) We tried a restore to SQL2000 from our Legato Networker backup of
the SQL7 database, but the views didn't come across.
(3) We tried a backup from SQL7 and restore to SQL2000, but got the
message that the backup file contained a database other than the one
we wanted (it didn't - we checked the backup file several times by
restoring it to another SQL7 server).
(4) We tried to import/export data from SQL7 to SQL2000, but the views
owned by INFORMATION_SCHEMA weren't showing to add to the list of
objects to take across.
(5) We created the INFORMATION_SCHEMA login on SQL2000, and tried all
restores again, but still the views wouldn't go across.
(6) We generated the SQL for all views in SQL7 and ran these on
SQL2000, setting the owner to INFORMATION_SCHEMA, but wasn't sure
where to set the type to "system" (as opposed to "user).

We're having problems running the third party application with a
connection to SQL2000, and want to rule out the lack of views, or view
ownership, as the problem. Our third party vendor isn't coming up
with any solution in a hurry. Can anyone think of any reason why the
views are coming across when the database is restored to SQL2000?

Thanks for your help.

[Sjaak van Esdonk]

There is no need to transfer these views to sql2000 (if not a
possibility) , because they are already there. Just like system tables
there are also system views. These views are based on the sql-92
standard. When you connect to a sql2000 database and open the query
analyzer type this statement and run it on the northwind database (or
any other if you want):

select * from information_schema.columns

You will get to see a list of all the columns for all the tables in
that specific database. Notice that there you cannot see these view
but CAN execute a select on them.

to be short:
There is no need (and no way) to transfer these information views.
Here is the text form the BOL (sql2000)

Information Schema Views
Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 provides two methods for obtaining meta
data: system stored procedures or information schema views.

Note To obtain meta data, use system stored procedures, system
functions, or these system-supplied views only. Querying the system
tables directly may not provide accurate information if system tables
are changed in future releases.
These views provide an internal, system table-independent view of the
SQL Server meta data. Information schema views allow applications to
work properly even though significant changes have been made to the
system tables. The information schema views included in SQL Server
conform to the SQL-92 Standard definition for the INFORMATION_SCHEMA.

SQL Server supports a three-part naming convention when referring to
the current server. The SQL-92 standard also supports a three-part
naming convention. However, the names used in both naming conventions
are different. These views are defined in a special schema named
INFORMATION_SCHEMA, which is contained in each database. Each
INFORMATION_SCHEMA view contains meta data for all data objects stored
in that particular database. This table describes the relationships
between the SQL Server names and the SQL-92-standard names.

SQL Server name Maps to this equivalent SQL-92 name
Database catalog
Owner schema
Object object
user-defined data type domain
This naming convention mapping applies to these SQL Server
SQL-92-compatible views. These views are defined in a special schema
named INFORMATION_SCHEMA, which is contained in each database. Each
INFORMATION_SCHEMA view contains meta data for all data objects stored
in that particular database