SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Overview

1
SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Overview

• By
• Jean-René Roy
• President of Technologies SoftDesign Inc.

2
Introduction

• Replacement of MSDE
• Free product
• Trim down version of SQL Server 2005
• Use the same data access of SQL Server 2005
• Free GUI (In Alpha version)

3
Target Scenarios

• Non-professional developers building Web
  applications
• ISVs redistributing SQL Server Express as a
  low-end server or client data store
• Hobbyists building basic client/server
  applications

4
Key Features in SQL Server Express 2005

• Engine specifications
• The SQL engine supports 1CPU
• 1GB RAM (limit for the buffer pool)
• 4GB database size (database size limit)
• Run on multiprocessor machines, but only a single
  CPU is used
• Limit to the number of SQL instances is 50

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Key Features in SQL Server Express 2005

• Tools support
• SQL Server Express Manager (XM)
• XM support T-SQL (keyword color-coding and a
  results pane )
• XM will be distributed through a separate Web
  download
• SQL Computer Manager, SQL Command, and BCP
• Demo

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Key Features in SQL Server Express 2005

• Data Access Support
• Same as SQL Server 2005
• Security
• Same as SQL Server 2005
• Default protocol turn off by default

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Key Features in SQL Server Express 2005

• Replication support
• Programmatically sync using Replication
  Management Objects (RMO).
• Express Manager exposes on-demand sync, but this
  feature will not be included in SQL Server
  Express Technical Preview, but will be freely
  available as a separate Web download.
• Use Windows Sync Manager for scheduled sync.

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Key Features in SQL Server Express 2005

• SQL Service Broker
• SQL Service Broker (SSB) is the new reliable
  messaging infrastructure in SQL Server 2005. The
  service programs can choose to communicate
  through peer-to-peer message exchange contracts
  called dialogs. This feature is accessible via
  extensions to the T-SQL language.

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Key Features in SQL Server Express 2005

• Application XCopy
• Application XCopy is a new feature in SQL Server
  Express that provides the ability to treat
  databases like files. The local database can now
  be moved, copied, or e-mailed along with the
  application.
• AttachDBFileName (relative or absolute file path)
• Logical database name (fn_GenDBNameFromPath)
• Auto-Close (releases the file locks )

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Setup and Deployment

• Only Windows Installer-based (.msi) technology
• The download size is less than 36MB
• Install .NET 2.0 Framework
• System Configuration Check

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Hardware/Software Requirements

• Hardware Requirements
• Processor Minimum 600mHz
• Processor Recommended 1GHz
• RAM Minimum 256MB (setup warning)
• RAM Recommended 512MB 
• HD Space Minimum 170MB(with Microsoft .NET as
  prerequisite)
• Video Minimum 800 x 600, 256 colors   
• Video Recommended     1024 x 768, High Color -
  16-bit
• Software requirements
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 or higher
• Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
• Operating system
• Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 Advanced
• Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 Data Center
• Microsoft Windows XP SP1 Professional or higher
• Microsoft Windows 2003 Server or higher
• Microsoft Windows 2003 Enterprise or higher

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Features not present in SQL Server Express

• Availability features such as data mirroring,
  clustering, etc.
• Full-text search
• SQL Agent
• Reporting Services
• Business Intelligence Platform, such as
  Notification and Analysis Services
• SQL Management Studio, which is the new GUI tool
  replacing SQL 2000 Enterprise Manager

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Comparison of MSDE with SQL Server Express
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Download SQL Server 2005 Express

• http//lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/sql/