Migrate/Transfer SQL Server 2008/2005/2000/7 Logins to SQL Server 2008

UPDATE: Just use my PowerShell script, Copy-SqlLogin. You just gotta execute one line and DBA's love it.

To my knowledge, Microsoft has not yet updated their Knowledge Base to inform administrators how to migrate SQL Server logins to SQL Server 2008. The good news is that the SQL Server 2005 login migration knowledge base article applies to SQL Server 2008 as well. Below I've included a compilation of all of the migration procedures between various versions of SQL Server.

Migration is very easy -- basically, a stored procedure named sp_help_revlogin is created and executed on the source server. The resulting output is then copied and executed on the destination server.

Detailed instructions can be found at Microsoft KB Article 918992 and Microsoft KB Article 246133. Oh, also, Dell has a marvelous 54-page SQL Server 2000 to 2008 Migration Guide. It actually outlines, in an easy-to-read style, a lot of the best practices I learned about while studying for my MCITP certification.

Code For Login Migrations Between SQL Server 7 and SQL Server 2000 ----- Begin Script, Create sp_help_revlogin procedure -----

USE master GO IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_hexadecimal') IS NOT NULL DROP PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal GO CREATE PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal @binvalue varbinary(256), @hexvalue varchar(256) OUTPUT AS DECLARE @charvalue varchar(256) DECLARE @i int DECLARE @length int DECLARE @hexstring char(16) SELECT @charvalue = '0x' SELECT @i = 1 SELECT @length = DATALENGTH (@binvalue) SELECT @hexstring = '0123456789ABCDEF' WHILE (@i <= @length) BEGIN DECLARE @tempint int DECLARE @firstint int DECLARE @secondint int SELECT @tempint = CONVERT(int, SUBSTRING(@binvalue,@i,1)) SELECT @firstint = FLOOR(@tempint/16) SELECT @secondint = @tempint - (@firstint*16) SELECT @charvalue = @charvalue + SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @firstint+1, 1) + SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @secondint+1, 1) SELECT @i = @i + 1 END SELECT @hexvalue = @charvalue GO

IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_help_revlogin') IS NOT NULL DROP PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin GO CREATE PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin @login_name sysname = NULL AS DECLARE @name sysname DECLARE @xstatus int DECLARE @binpwd varbinary (256) DECLARE @txtpwd sysname DECLARE @tmpstr varchar (256) DECLARE @SID_varbinary varbinary(85) DECLARE @SID_string varchar(256)

IF (@login_name IS NULL) DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR SELECT sid, name, xstatus, password FROM master..sysxlogins WHERE srvid IS NULL AND name <> 'sa' ELSE DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR SELECT sid, name, xstatus, password FROM master..sysxlogins WHERE srvid IS NULL AND name = @login_name OPEN login_curs FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @xstatus, @binpwd IF (@@fetch_status = -1) BEGIN PRINT 'No login(s) found.' CLOSE login_curs DEALLOCATE login_curs RETURN -1 END SET @tmpstr = '/* sp_help_revlogin script ' PRINT @tmpstr SET @tmpstr = '** Generated ' + CONVERT (varchar, GETDATE()) + ' on ' + @@SERVERNAME + ' */' PRINT @tmpstr PRINT '' PRINT 'DECLARE @pwd sysname' WHILE (@@fetch_status <> -1) BEGIN IF (@@fetch_status <> -2) BEGIN PRINT '' SET @tmpstr = '-- Login: ' + @name PRINT @tmpstr IF (@xstatus & 4) = 4 BEGIN -- NT authenticated account/group IF (@xstatus & 1) = 1 BEGIN -- NT login is denied access SET @tmpstr = 'EXEC master..sp_denylogin ''' + @name + '''' PRINT @tmpstr END ELSE BEGIN -- NT login has access SET @tmpstr = 'EXEC master..sp_grantlogin ''' + @name + '''' PRINT @tmpstr END END ELSE BEGIN -- SQL Server authentication IF (@binpwd IS NOT NULL) BEGIN -- Non-null password EXEC sp_hexadecimal @binpwd, @txtpwd OUT IF (@xstatus & 2048) = 2048 SET @tmpstr = 'SET @pwd = CONVERT (varchar(256), ' + @txtpwd + ')' ELSE SET @tmpstr = 'SET @pwd = CONVERT (varbinary(256), ' + @txtpwd + ')' PRINT @tmpstr EXEC sp_hexadecimal @SID_varbinary,@SID_string OUT SET @tmpstr = 'EXEC master..sp_addlogin ''' + @name + ''', @pwd, @sid = ' + @SID_string + ', @encryptopt = ' END ELSE BEGIN -- Null password EXEC sp_hexadecimal @SID_varbinary,@SID_string OUT SET @tmpstr = 'EXEC master..sp_addlogin ''' + @name + ''', NULL, @sid = ' + @SID_string + ', @encryptopt = ' END IF (@xstatus & 2048) = 2048 -- login upgraded from 6.5 SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '''skip_encryption_old''' ELSE SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '''skip_encryption''' PRINT @tmpstr END END FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @xstatus, @binpwd END CLOSE login_curs DEALLOCATE login_curs RETURN 0 GO ----- End Script -----

Code For Login Migrations From SQL Server 7/2000 to SQL Server 2005/2008 USE master GO IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_hexadecimal') IS NOT NULL DROP PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal GO CREATE PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal @binvalue varbinary(256), @hexvalue varchar(256) OUTPUT AS DECLARE @charvalue varchar(256) DECLARE @i int DECLARE @length int DECLARE @hexstring char(16) SELECT @charvalue = '0x' SELECT @i = 1 SELECT @length = DATALENGTH (@binvalue) SELECT @hexstring = '0123456789ABCDEF' WHILE (@i <= @length) BEGIN DECLARE @tempint int DECLARE @firstint int DECLARE @secondint int SELECT @tempint = CONVERT(int, SUBSTRING(@binvalue,@i,1)) SELECT @firstint = FLOOR(@tempint/16) SELECT @secondint = @tempint - (@firstint*16) SELECT @charvalue = @charvalue + SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @firstint+1, 1) + SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @secondint+1, 1) SELECT @i = @i + 1 END SELECT @hexvalue = @charvalue GO

IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_help_revlogin_2000_to_2005') IS NOT NULL DROP PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin_2000_to_2005 GO CREATE PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin_2000_to_2005

@login_name sysname = NULL, @include_db bit = 0, @include_role bit = 0

AS DECLARE @name sysname DECLARE @xstatus int DECLARE @binpwd varbinary (256) DECLARE @dfltdb varchar (256) DECLARE @txtpwd sysname DECLARE @tmpstr varchar (256) DECLARE @SID_varbinary varbinary(85) DECLARE @SID_string varchar(256)

IF (@login_name IS NULL) DECLARE login_curs CURSOR STATIC FOR SELECT sid, [name], xstatus, password, isnull(db_name(dbid), 'master') FROM master.dbo.sysxlogins WHERE srvid IS NULL AND [name] <> 'sa' ELSE DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR SELECT sid, [name], xstatus, password, isnull(db_name(dbid), 'master') FROM master.dbo.sysxlogins WHERE srvid IS NULL AND [name] = @login_name

OPEN login_curs

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @xstatus, @binpwd, @dfltdb

IF (@@fetch_status = -1) BEGIN PRINT 'No login(s) found.' CLOSE login_curs DEALLOCATE login_curs RETURN -1 END

SET @tmpstr = '/* sp_help_revlogin script ' PRINT @tmpstr SET @tmpstr = '** Generated ' + CONVERT (varchar, GETDATE()) + ' on ' + @@SERVERNAME + ' */' PRINT @tmpstr PRINT '' PRINT '' PRINT '' PRINT '/***** CREATE LOGINS *****/'

WHILE @@fetch_status = 0 BEGIN PRINT '' SET @tmpstr = '-- Login: ' + @name PRINT @tmpstr

IF (@xstatus & 4) = 4 BEGIN -- NT authenticated account/group IF (@xstatus & 1) = 1 BEGIN -- NT login is denied access SET @tmpstr = '' --'EXEC master..sp_denylogin ''' + @name + '''' PRINT @tmpstr END ELSE BEGIN -- NT login has access SET @tmpstr = 'IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.server_principals WHERE [name] = ''' + @name + ''')' PRINT @tmpstr SET @tmpstr = CHAR(9) + 'CREATE LOGIN [' + @name + '] FROM WINDOWS' PRINT @tmpstr END END ELSE BEGIN -- SQL Server authentication EXEC sp_hexadecimal @SID_varbinary, @SID_string OUT

IF (@binpwd IS NOT NULL) BEGIN -- Non-null password EXEC sp_hexadecimal @binpwd, @txtpwd OUT SET @tmpstr = 'CREATE LOGIN [' + @name + '] WITH PASSWORD=' + @txtpwd + ' HASHED' END ELSE BEGIN -- Null password SET @tmpstr = 'CREATE LOGIN [' + @name + '] WITH PASSWORD=''''' END

SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + ', CHECK_POLICY=OFF, SID=' + @SID_string PRINT @tmpstr END

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @xstatus, @binpwd, @dfltdb END

IF @include_db = 1 BEGIN PRINT '' PRINT '' PRINT '' PRINT '/***** SET DEFAULT DATABASES *****/'

FETCH FIRST FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @xstatus, @binpwd, @dfltdb

WHILE @@fetch_status = 0 BEGIN PRINT '' SET @tmpstr = '-- Login: ' + @name PRINT @tmpstr

SET @tmpstr = 'ALTER LOGIN [' + @name + '] WITH DEFAULT_DATABASE=[' + @dfltdb + ']' PRINT @tmpstr

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @xstatus, @binpwd, @dfltdb END END

IF @include_role = 1 BEGIN PRINT '' PRINT '' PRINT '' PRINT '/***** SET SERVER ROLES *****/'

FETCH FIRST FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @xstatus, @binpwd, @dfltdb

WHILE @@fetch_status = 0 BEGIN PRINT '' SET @tmpstr = '-- Login: ' + @name PRINT @tmpstr

IF @xstatus &16 = 16 -- sysadmin BEGIN SET @tmpstr = 'exec master.dbo.sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame=''' + @name + ''', @rolename=''sysadmin''' PRINT @tmpstr END

IF @xstatus &32 = 32 -- securityadmin BEGIN SET @tmpstr = 'exec master.dbo.sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame=''' + @name + ''', @rolename=''securityadmin''' PRINT @tmpstr END

IF @xstatus &64 = 64 -- serveradmin BEGIN SET @tmpstr = 'exec master.dbo.sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame=''' + @name + ''', @rolename=''serveradmin''' PRINT @tmpstr END

IF @xstatus &128 = 128 -- setupadmin BEGIN SET @tmpstr = 'exec master.dbo.sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame=''' + @name + ''', @rolename=''setupadmin''' PRINT @tmpstr END

IF @xstatus &256 = 256 --processadmin BEGIN SET @tmpstr = 'exec master.dbo.sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame=''' + @name + ''', @rolename=''processadmin''' PRINT @tmpstr END

IF @xstatus &512 = 512 -- diskadmin BEGIN SET @tmpstr = 'exec master.dbo.sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame=''' + @name + ''', @rolename=''diskadmin''' PRINT @tmpstr END

IF @xstatus &1024 = 1024 -- dbcreator BEGIN SET @tmpstr = 'exec master.dbo.sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame=''' + @name + ''', @rolename=''dbcreator''' PRINT @tmpstr END

IF @xstatus &4096 = 4096 -- bulkadmin BEGIN SET @tmpstr = 'exec master.dbo.sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame=''' + @name + ''', @rolename=''bulkadmin''' PRINT @tmpstr END

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @xstatus, @binpwd, @dfltdb END END

CLOSE login_curs DEALLOCATE login_curs RETURN 0 GO

exec sp_help_revlogin_2000_to_2005 @login_name=NULL, @include_db=1, @include_role=1 GO

Code For Login Migrations From SQL Server 2005/2008 to SQL Server 2005/2008

USE master GO IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_hexadecimal') IS NOT NULL DROP PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal GO CREATE PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal @binvalue varbinary(256), @hexvalue varchar (514) OUTPUT AS DECLARE @charvalue varchar (514) DECLARE @i int DECLARE @length int DECLARE @hexstring char(16) SELECT @charvalue = '0x' SELECT @i = 1 SELECT @length = DATALENGTH (@binvalue) SELECT @hexstring = '0123456789ABCDEF' WHILE (@i <= @length) BEGIN DECLARE @tempint int DECLARE @firstint int DECLARE @secondint int SELECT @tempint = CONVERT(int, SUBSTRING(@binvalue,@i,1)) SELECT @firstint = FLOOR(@tempint/16) SELECT @secondint = @tempint - (@firstint*16) SELECT @charvalue = @charvalue + SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @firstint+1, 1) + SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @secondint+1, 1) SELECT @i = @i + 1 END

SELECT @hexvalue = @charvalue GO

IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_help_revlogin') IS NOT NULL DROP PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin GO CREATE PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin @login_name sysname = NULL AS DECLARE @name sysname DECLARE @type varchar (1) DECLARE @hasaccess int DECLARE @denylogin int DECLARE @is_disabled int DECLARE @PWD_varbinary varbinary (256) DECLARE @PWD_string varchar (514) DECLARE @SID_varbinary varbinary (85) DECLARE @SID_string varchar (514) DECLARE @tmpstr varchar (1024) DECLARE @is_policy_checked varchar (3) DECLARE @is_expiration_checked varchar (3)

DECLARE @defaultdb sysname

IF (@login_name IS NULL) DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR

SELECT p.sid, p.name, p.type, p.is_disabled, p.default_database_name, l.hasaccess, l.denylogin FROM sys.server_principals p LEFT JOIN sys.syslogins l ON ( l.name = p.name ) WHERE p.type IN ( 'S', 'G', 'U' ) AND p.name <> 'sa' ELSE DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR

SELECT p.sid, p.name, p.type, p.is_disabled, p.default_database_name, l.hasaccess, l.denylogin FROM sys.server_principals p LEFT JOIN sys.syslogins l ON ( l.name = p.name ) WHERE p.type IN ( 'S', 'G', 'U' ) AND p.name = @login_name OPEN login_curs

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @type, @is_disabled, @defaultdb, @hasaccess, @denylogin IF (@@fetch_status = -1) BEGIN PRINT 'No login(s) found.' CLOSE login_curs DEALLOCATE login_curs RETURN -1 END SET @tmpstr = '/* sp_help_revlogin script ' PRINT @tmpstr SET @tmpstr = '** Generated ' + CONVERT (varchar, GETDATE()) + ' on ' + @@SERVERNAME + ' */' PRINT @tmpstr PRINT '' WHILE (@@fetch_status <> -1) BEGIN IF (@@fetch_status <> -2) BEGIN PRINT '' SET @tmpstr = '-- Login: ' + @name PRINT @tmpstr IF (@type IN ( 'G', 'U')) BEGIN -- NT authenticated account/group

SET @tmpstr = 'CREATE LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' FROM WINDOWS WITH DEFAULT_DATABASE = [' + @defaultdb + ']' END ELSE BEGIN -- SQL Server authentication -- obtain password and sid SET @PWD_varbinary = CAST( LOGINPROPERTY( @name, 'PasswordHash' ) AS varbinary (256) ) EXEC sp_hexadecimal @PWD_varbinary, @PWD_string OUT EXEC sp_hexadecimal @SID_varbinary,@SID_string OUT

-- obtain password policy state SELECT @is_policy_checked = CASE is_policy_checked WHEN 1 THEN 'ON' WHEN 0 THEN 'OFF' ELSE NULL END FROM sys.sql_logins WHERE name = @name SELECT @is_expiration_checked = CASE is_expiration_checked WHEN 1 THEN 'ON' WHEN 0 THEN 'OFF' ELSE NULL END FROM sys.sql_logins WHERE name = @name SET @tmpstr = 'CREATE LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' WITH PASSWORD = ' + @PWD_string + ' HASHED, SID = ' + @SID_string + ', DEFAULT_DATABASE = [' + @defaultdb + ']'

IF ( @is_policy_checked IS NOT NULL ) BEGIN SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + ', CHECK_POLICY = ' + @is_policy_checked END IF ( @is_expiration_checked IS NOT NULL ) BEGIN SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + ', CHECK_EXPIRATION = ' + @is_expiration_checked END END IF (@denylogin = 1) BEGIN -- login is denied access SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; DENY CONNECT SQL TO ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) END ELSE IF (@hasaccess = 0) BEGIN -- login exists but does not have access SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; REVOKE CONNECT SQL TO ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) END IF (@is_disabled = 1) BEGIN -- login is disabled SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; ALTER LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' DISABLE' END PRINT @tmpstr END

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @type, @is_disabled, @defaultdb, @hasaccess, @denylogin END CLOSE login_curs DEALLOCATE login_curs RETURN 0 GO

Mmm, hella swole code.