SQL Server Editions

Understanding SQL Server 2005 Editions







A major part of the installation planning process is determining the SQL Server 2005 edition you need to use. SQL Server 2005 offers five editions—two of which come in either 32-bit or 64-bit versions—each designed for a specific environment. Determining the proper edition to install is critical for meeting the functionality needs of your current environment as well as any future needs you might expect. Here is a description of each edition:






SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition (32-bit and 64-bit)




Enterprise Edition is designed to support the largest enterprise online transaction processing (OLTP) environments, highly complex data-analysis requirements, data-warehousing systems, and active Web sites. DBAs designing large database installations should consider only Enterprise Edition.






SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition (32-bit and 64-bit)




Standard Edition includes the essential functionality needed for e-commerce, data warehousing, and lineof- business solutions that most small- and medium-sized organizations  use. Organizations with databases that will contain large amounts of data but do not need installations with all the features of Enterprise Edition might want to consider Standard Edition.







SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition (32-bit only)




Workgroup Edition is the datamanagement solution for small organizations that need a database that has no limits on size or number of users and has the capability to serve as a back end to small Web servers and departmental or branch-office operations. DBAs working with small amounts of data on smaller servers might want to consider using Workgroup Edition.






SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition (32-bit and 64-bit)




Developer Edition includes all the functionality of SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition, but it is licensed for use as a development and test system, not as a production server. Developer Edition is suited for developers in larger companies who need to develop applications that will use Enterprise Edition but who do not want to install Enterprise Edition on development or test servers.






SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (32-bit only)




SQL Server Express is a free, easyto-use, and simple-to-manage database that can be redistributed to function as the client database as well as a basic server database. Express Edition is usually suited only for very small data sets. Developers who are developing applications that require a small data store should consider using Express Edition. Express Edition also makes a suitable replacement for Microsoft Access databases.