SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition - a treat for small scale businesses
SQL Server Express edition is a light-weight software within SQL Server arena, it is classed as database platform that makes it easy to develop data-driven applications that are rich in capability, offer enhanced storage security, and are fast to deploy.
Also the SQL Server 2008 Express with Advanced Services is an edition of same flock that includes a new graphical management tool, features for reporting, and advanced text-based search capabilities. You can add the GUI capabilities for management tools for your SQL Express edition. As referred this light weight tool can be downloaded freely which can be redistributed subject to agreement. As per the BOL Each edition can function both as the client database and as a basic server database. Any edition of SQL Server Express is an ideal choice for independent software vendors (ISVs), server users, non-professional developers, Web developers, Web site hosts, and hobbyists who are building client applications. If you need more advanced database features, you can upgrade SQL Server Express to more sophisticated versions of SQL Server.
Ok all of this information is known to the world, what's new now in terms of SQL Server 2008 R2 release is the database size limit has been increased to 10Gb from the previous limit of 4Gb. This is great news for many developers, as the 4Gb limitation was by far the most difficult barrier preventing Express adoption. So this is a real benefit of the small scale organisations that are looking to integrate their Microsoft applications applications with a robust backend technology.
Also it is worth to mention about SQL Server Features Not Supported in SQL Server Express
As per the BOL the following table lists the additional SQL Server database features that are not supported in this version of SQL Server Express. It also lists database features from previous versions of SQL Server that are not supported.
| SQL Server features not supported in SQL Server Express |
SQL Server features from previous versions not supported in SQL Server Express |
|
Database mirroring |
SQL Mail |
|
Online restore |
Fail-over clustering |
|
Database snapshot |
Distributed partitioned views |
|
Parallel index operations |
VIA protocol support |
|
Mirrored media sets |
Log shipping |
|
Partitioning |
Parallel DBCC |
|
Address Windowing Extensions (AWE) |
Parallel Create Index |
|
Hot-add memory |
Enhanced Read Ahead and Scan |
|
Native HTTP SOAP access |
Indexed views (materialized views) |
|
SQL Mail and Database Mail |
Partitioned views |
|
Online Index Operations |
|
|
SQL Server Agent and SQL Server Agent Service |
|
Next time I will go through on how to manage the REPORTING Services platform using SQL Express with Advanced Services edition.
Further resources of Home Page for Microsoft® SQL Server 2008® R2 & Embedding, Upgrading, and Custom Installations are helpful and finally you can download SQL Server 2008 R2 edition for your own testing & joy!
