We will be upgrading our server soon and we will have a hardware standing doing not much. Currently we are having hardtime fitting DBCC and Backups fit in our weekly schedule. I found out backups and DBCC can be run from Alwayson copy. With database mirroring if the mirror was not accessed we did not have to get a license for that instance. If we use the always on instance only for DBCC and backups do we have to get another license (or enterprise license) for it?
In any case we have databases totaling close to 20TB the largest being 8 TB. Is it feasible to throw 5-6 multi terabyte databases to an always on mirror asynchronously and not have any problems with not be able to catch up with log restores etc (this server won't be accessed by users it will only be used for dbcc and backup restores).
Basically is what I am looking for practical. I also imagine we should be setting up a new network between sql server(s) not to affect user traffic during log ships.
Please tell me your opinion/experience
Thank you
Gokhan Varol