Learn how Microsoft IT upgraded ICE 3.0, which is a 30-terabyte database, from SQL Server 2005 to a pre-release version of SQL Server 2008, code named Katmai. ICE, which stands for Information Security Consolidated Event Management System, is used by the Microsoft Information Security team to analyze network utilization events captured by various sources including over 100 proxy servers, Mail servers, Net logon servers, etc. The ICE database processes approximately 1TB of log data each day and has become a key component in the incident response process as well as forensics investigations.
The upgrade was part of Microsoft's internal Technology Adoption Program (TAP) for Katmai. The upgrade helped Microsoft become its first and best customer by using the product internally before releasing it to the outside world. Upgrading the database to Katmai enabled the Katmai product team to flush more bugs out of the product and ensure that the product will perform as intended. Hear how the multi-terabyte database upgrade was planned, tested and implemented without a database backup by following a structured, organized and methodical approach.