SQL Server Editions

SQL Server comes in more editions than any other Microsoft .NET Enterprise Server. In fact, SQL Server 2000 comes in no fewer than seven varieties. Here's a quick guide to the differences among the SQL Server 2000 editions. (If you aren't sure which edition of SQL Server you're using, you can go to Query Analyzer, turn on Results in Text, and type SELECT @@version.)

7. SQL Server CE

As you'd expect, SQL Server 2000 Windows CE Edition uses a different code base than other SQL Server editions do. SQL Server CE has about a 1MB footprint and doesn't include Analysis Services or Data Transformation Services (DTS). SQL Server CE supports data exchange with other SQL Server editions through anonymous merge replication.

6. Enterprise Evaluation Edition

The Enterprise Evaluation Edition is essentially the same as the Enterprise Edition; however, the Evaluation Edition has a built-in 120-day time limit. You can upgrade from the Evaluation Edition to either the standard or enterprise edition.

5. Developer Edition

Supplied as a part of Visual Studio Enterprise Edition, the Developer Edition supports the same feature set as SQL Server Enterprise Edition does. However, licensing for the Developer Edition allows only development work; you can't use this edition as a production database.

4. Personal Edition

The Personal Edition comes with the SQL Server Standard Edition or Enterprise Edition—you can't purchase it separately. The Personal Edition runs on Windows 2000, Windows NT, or Windows 9x and supports one to two processors on Win2K Professional. However, this edition supports only five concurrent connections. Each Personal Edition requires a Client Access License (CAL).

3. MSDE

Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (MSDE) is a standalone runtime engine for database applications and can be freely distributed. MSDE's core database engine is essentially the same as that of the Personal Edition. However, MSDE provides no management tools and doesn't require a CAL.

2. Standard Edition

The Standard Edition is the most popular version of SQL Server 2000. This edition requires a minimum of Win2K Server or NT Server 4.0 and supports one to four processors. The Standard Edition includes Analysis Services, DTS, XML integration, and English Query, as well as the Personal Edition and MSDE. Each client that connects to the Standard Edition needs a CAL.

1. Enterprise Edition

The Enterprise Edition includes all the Standard Edition features plus built-in Storage Area Network (SAN) support, federated databases, log shipping, and partitioned OLAP cubes. The Enterprise Edition runs on Win2K Server or NT Server 4.0 or later; when running on Win2K Advanced Server or NT Server, Enterprise Edition (NTS/E), this edition supports more than four processors and four-node failover clustering. Each client must have a CAL.