Microsoft SQL Server is a high performance, scalable and secure database management system available for Microsoft Windows systems. The most recent release of MS SQL Server is available in four different versions. The Express Edition, which is essentially a newer release of the Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine (MSDE), is free to use and redistribute as an extremely lightweight version of Microsoft SQL Server. The Express Edition is easy to install and offers enhanced security. As far as scalability and performance is concerned, the Express Edition only supports one CPU and one gigabyte of RAM. In addition, databases are limited to four gigabytes in size (Microsoft – SQL Server Express Edition Features, 2006).
If high performance and scalability are desired, it may be best to go with the Workgroup Edition, the Standard Edition, or the Enterprise Edition, depending on actual requirements. Each of these versions has no limit with regard to database size. The Workgroup Edition supports up to two CPUs. The Standard Edition supports up to four CPUs. The Enterprise Edition has no limit to the number of CPUs that it supports. The Workgroup Edition supports up to three gigabytes of RAM. Both the Standard and Enterprise Editions support as much RAM as the operating system can handle. The Enterprise Edition also supports features such as partitioning and indexed views, which are not available in other versions. All versions, including the Express Edition offer the same security options (Microsoft – SQL Server 2005 Features Comparison, 2006).
The pricing for MS SQL Server is broken down by license type and version. Each version is priced differently according to overall features and there are two types of licensing available for each version. The two types of licensing are Processor Licensing and Client Access Licensing. Processor licensing is broken down by how many processors the server will contain. Client access licensing is broken down by the number of clients who will access the server. The only exception is with the Express Server version, which is free. Client Access Licensing can be further broken down by either users or devices. Either way, the pricing is the same (Microsoft – SQL Server: How to Buy, 2006).
Here is a sample breakdown of the prices for different versions:
|
Version |
Processor Licensing (Retail) |
Client Access Licensing (Retail) |
|
Workgroup |
$3,899 |
$739 with 5 Workgroup CALs |
|
Standard |
$5,999 |
$1,849 with 5 CALs |
|
Enterprise |
$24,999 |
$13,969 with 25 CALs |
Resources:
Microsoft – SQL Server Express Edition Features. (2006). Retrieved May 14, 2006 from http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/features.mspx
Microsoft – SQL Server 2005 Features Comparison. (2006). Retrieved May 14, 2006 from http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/features/compare-features.mspx
Microsoft – SQL Server: How to Buy. (2006). Retrieved May 14, 2006 from http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/default.mspx
