By now, you’ve probably heard something about Microsoft’s new SQL Express. SQL Express is the replacement for Microsoft's MSDE database. It’s a free, light-weight database version of SQL Server. It is SQL Server, but it’s stripped down to make it a smaller download. It’s less filling and tastes great too!
At its core, SQL Express uses the same high-performance database engine as the other versions of SQL Server 2005. The main limitations, compared to other editions of SQL Server 2005, include:
· Supports only one CPU
· Supports a maximum database size of 4GB
· 1GB memory limit for the buffer pool
· Lack of enterprise features support
Some other goodies that you might want as you tinker around with SQL Express Beta 2 include:
· The scripts for Northwind and Pubs databases at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=06616212-0356-46a0-8da2-eebc53a68034&DisplayLang=en
· The SQL Server 2005 Express Documentation and Samples at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2adbc1a8-ae5c-497d-b584-eab6719300cd&displaylang=en
Plus, GutherB’s weblog has some good information on how to load data into SQL Express in the Thursday, July 1, 2004 weblog entry at http://blogs.msdn.com/guntherb/archive/2004/07/01/170674.aspx
If you haven’t already looked at it, you can get SQL Express Beta 2 at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=62B348BB-0458-4203-BB03-8BE49E16E6CD&displaylang=en
