SQL Server DBCC Commands: DBCC CLONEDATABASE

DBCC CLONEDATABASE is a DBCC command in Microsoft SQL Server that can be used to create a copy of a database on the same server. It is primarily used for testing and debugging purposes, as it allows you to create a copy of a database in a matter of seconds, rather than having to restore a database from a backup or attach a copy of the database files to the server.

To use DBCC CLONEDATABASE, you must specify the name of the source database and the name of the target database. The target database must not already exist on the server.

Here is an example of how to use DBCC CLONEDATABASE to create a copy of a database:

-- Create a copy of the "MyDatabase" database called "MyDatabase_Copy"
DBCC CLONEDATABASE ('MyDatabase', 'MyDatabase_Copy');

The output of DBCC CLONEDATABASE will be a message indicating whether the operation was successful or not. If the operation was successful, a copy of the “MyDatabase” database will be created on the server with the name “MyDatabase_Copy”.

It’s important to note that DBCC CLONEDATABASE only creates a copy of the database structure and data, not the database log or the database files. It also does not create copies of database objects such as stored procedures or views, so you will need to recreate these manually in the cloned database.

DBCC CLONEDATABASE can be a useful tool for testing and debugging purposes, but it should be used with caution.

Need help with this or an of the other DBCC commands? The team at Stedman Solutions, LLC specializes in repairing corrupt databases and heping when things go wrong.