Is SqlServer Express good for desktop applications?

Do you believe that SqlServer Express can work absolutely without any administration?
That is to say: my clients are people without any technical knowledge and they usually communicate never with me.
Is SSE the correct database for this status, or should I use a desktop database like VFP or Access?

Once it's set up, it'll keep working indefinitely. You'll have to do most of the management in your software so the user can copy the database, for example.

The main limition with SQL Server Express is that you have to be sure to use an instance name that another applicaiton is unlikely to use, otherwise you'll have conflicts.

The main advantage of SQL Server Express versus something like Access is that you can easily move to the full-blown SQL Server Standard with virtually no effort.

-Ryan

|||

It's a better approach to determine the needs of your application, both now and in the future, and then choose the right database engine to meet those needs. One alternative that hasn't been mentioned yet is SQL Compact Edition, which is similar to Access/Jet in that it is a file based, in process database engine. (Compared to SQL Express which is a service based engine.)

There is a paper at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/compact/sscecomparison.mspx that attempts to clarify the differences between these platforms and why you would use one of the other. I generally think that you should start you planning at SQLce, since it offers a very light weight data engine that is easy to install and mange, and then work your way up the ladder if you discover application requriements that would prevent you from using it.

There is a forum dedicated to SQLce here on MSDN if you have questions about that database.

Mike

Is SQL Server/MSDE a memory hog?

I installed MSDE, and now when my pc starts up, I get a little icon in the toolbar for the sql server administration. Note I did not purchase sql server, I just dowloaded and installed msde.

The problem is that I do not do database programming every day, and so I probably do not need sql server running every time my pc runs. And I have noticed that since I installed MSDE/sql server that their appears to be a lot of disk thrashing going on, and my system seems a lot slower than it use to be.

Has anyone had a similar problem? What do I need to do to shut it down if not in use? Is stopping the sqlsever.exe in task manager the proper way to shut it down?

I have 256 meg of Ram.

Thanks in advance, Amy DanoughWhat operating system are you using? For XP/2000/2003/NT, you can go into Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Services and chane the startup mode for the MSDE service (possibly still called SQL Server) to manual, and then it will start only when you manually start it.

Failing that, you can right click on the icon and then stop the MSDE when you do not need it (and right click to start it up again if need be).|||XP Professional,

Thanks for the help.
Amy|||Go to administrative tools->services and set the service's startup mode to manual. that way it won't start up with the OS. the downside is you'll have to start it manually when you need it. it'll probably be under "mssqlserver". you can start it the same way or at the command line with

net start mssqlserver

personally I've never found it to be an excessive memory hog (well, full SQL Server at least). I've run it on systems as low-grade as P233+/64Mb before now

j

Is SQL Mulstiserver Administration a requirement with SP3a

In reading through the instructions for SQL SP3a there is a statement "before
you apply the service pack, you must upgrade your SQL Server 2000
master/target server configuration." Is this really the case? What if I
don't want to deal with the Multiserver administration? Another statement in
the instructions is “If you manage two or more servers and you want to
centralize maintenance tasks” The AND YOU WANT implies it not a requirement.
Anyone know for certain?
MandyH
Hi
It is not a requirement, but really eases administration. It is advice that
they give to help lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
Regards
Mike
"MandyHancock" wrote:

> In reading through the instructions for SQL SP3a there is a statement "before
> you apply the service pack, you must upgrade your SQL Server 2000
> master/target server configuration." Is this really the case? What if I
> don't want to deal with the Multiserver administration? Another statement in
> the instructions is “If you manage two or more servers and you want to
> centralize maintenance tasks” The AND YOU WANT implies it not a requirement.
> Anyone know for certain?
> --
> MandyH
>
|||Wow - Thanks for such a quick response Mike. I REALLY appreciate having
someone like you out there .
"Mike Epprecht (SQL MVP)" wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Hi
> It is not a requirement, but really eases administration. It is advice that
> they give to help lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
> Regards
> Mike
> "MandyHancock" wrote:

Is SQL Mulstiserver Administration a requirement with SP3a

In reading through the instructions for SQL SP3a there is a statement "befor
e
you apply the service pack, you must upgrade your SQL Server 2000
master/target server configuration." Is this really the case? What if I
don't want to deal with the Multiserver administration? Another statement i
n
the instructions is “If you manage two or more servers and you want to
centralize maintenance tasks” The AND YOU WANT implies it not a requiremen
t.
Anyone know for certain?
--
MandyHHi
It is not a requirement, but really eases administration. It is advice that
they give to help lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
Regards
Mike
"MandyHancock" wrote:

> In reading through the instructions for SQL SP3a there is a statement "bef
ore
> you apply the service pack, you must upgrade your SQL Server 2000
> master/target server configuration." Is this really the case? What if I
> don't want to deal with the Multiserver administration? Another statement
in
> the instructions is “If you manage two or more servers and you want to
> centralize maintenance tasks” The AND YOU WANT implies it not a requirem
ent.
> Anyone know for certain?
> --
> MandyH
>|||Wow - Thanks for such a quick response Mike. I REALLY appreciate having
someone like you out there .
"Mike Epprecht (SQL MVP)" wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Hi
> It is not a requirement, but really eases administration. It is advice tha
t
> they give to help lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
> Regards
> Mike
> "MandyHancock" wrote:
>

Is SQL Mulstiserver Administration a requirement with SP3a

In reading through the instructions for SQL SP3a there is a statement "before
you apply the service pack, you must upgrade your SQL Server 2000
master/target server configuration." Is this really the case? What if I
don't want to deal with the Multiserver administration? Another statement in
the instructions is â'If you manage two or more servers and you want to
centralize maintenance tasksâ' The AND YOU WANT implies it not a requirement.
Anyone know for certain?
--
MandyHHi
It is not a requirement, but really eases administration. It is advice that
they give to help lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
Regards
Mike
"MandyHancock" wrote:
> In reading through the instructions for SQL SP3a there is a statement "before
> you apply the service pack, you must upgrade your SQL Server 2000
> master/target server configuration." Is this really the case? What if I
> don't want to deal with the Multiserver administration? Another statement in
> the instructions is â'If you manage two or more servers and you want to
> centralize maintenance tasksâ' The AND YOU WANT implies it not a requirement.
> Anyone know for certain?
> --
> MandyH
>|||Wow - Thanks for such a quick response Mike. I REALLY appreciate having
someone like you out there :).
"Mike Epprecht (SQL MVP)" wrote:
> Hi
> It is not a requirement, but really eases administration. It is advice that
> they give to help lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
> Regards
> Mike
> "MandyHancock" wrote:
> > In reading through the instructions for SQL SP3a there is a statement "before
> > you apply the service pack, you must upgrade your SQL Server 2000
> > master/target server configuration." Is this really the case? What if I
> > don't want to deal with the Multiserver administration? Another statement in
> > the instructions is â'If you manage two or more servers and you want to
> > centralize maintenance tasksâ' The AND YOU WANT implies it not a requirement.
> > Anyone know for certain?
> > --
> > MandyH
> >