Compare databases on different SQL Server versions

When you compare databases that reside on different server versions, you may encounter incompatibilities in database objects.

The topic lists cases when data comparison may fail due to data type incompatibilities.

CLR data types

You can update CLR data in a SQL Server 2005 or later database using values from text or string data types in a SQL Server 2000 database. Ensure that the Compare CLR types as binary option is not selected on the Options page of the New Data Comparison wizard.

If string data collations differ, dbForge Studio identifies and reports the differences.

Note

If you use backup files as data sources, dbForge Studio can compare CLR data types only as binary values.

XML data types

You can update XML data in a SQL Server 2005 or later database using values from text or string data types in a SQL Server 2000 database. In most cases, white spaces are preserved.

dbForge Studio supports DTD (Document Type Definition), with the exception of default attributes and entities.

Note

SQL Server 2005 and later do not store XML encoding or DTD data. Converting a string to XML and then back to a string will result in data loss.

If string data collations differ, dbForge Studio identifies and reports the differences.

Note

XML columns cannot be used as comparison keys.