When Microsoft first introduced MSDE 1.0, it was called Microsoft Data
Engine and it shared the same code base as SQL Server 7.0. With the release
of SQL Server 2000, Microsoft introduced MSDE 2000 and called it Microsoft
SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine. This article provides information on MSDE
2000 as it compares to SQL Server.
MSDE 2000 is a redistributable version of SQL Server 2000. It is a database
engine provided by Microsoft that is based on the core SQL Server technology
and supports single- and dual-processor desktop computers. In other words,
MSDE 2000 is a scaled down copy of SQL Server. MSDE 2000 was introduced to
provide application developers a database engine that is more powerful than
the Jet engine and at the same time expandable to SQL Server. It is ideal
for client applications requiring an embedded database and websites serving
up to 25 concurrent users.
The common technology base shared between SQL Server and MSDE 2000 enables
developers to build applications that can scale seamlessly from desktop
solutions to multiprocessor enterprise clusters.
As an alternative to the Jet engine, MSDE 2000 provides a cost-effective
option for developers who need a database server that can be easily
distributed and installed. Because it is fully compatible with SQL Server,
developers can easily target both SQL Server and MSDE 2000 with the same
application code base. This provides a seamless upgrade path from MSDE 2000
to SQL Server if an application grows beyond the storage and scalability
limits of MSDE 2000.
MSDE Licensing
MSDE is not for sale as a separate product. It is available for
royalty-free redistribution by vendors under certain MSDE licensing
conditions. You don't need to buy Client Access License if your application
uses MSDE as a back-end. Check Microsoft's website for details on MSDE
licensing.
Managing MSDE Databases - SQL Server Enterprise Manager
Unlike SQL Server, MSDE does not have its own GUI interface (Enterprise
Manager) for database design. MSDE ships with the osql utility only and it's
very difficult to create and manage databasesfrom the command prompt. You
can only create and manage MSDE databases via third-party tools.
MSDE Limitations
MSDE is intended for single user or small workgroup environments. The
following are some of the MSDE limitations in comparison with SQL Server:
No Enterprise Manager
No Query Analyzer
No Index Tuning Wizard
Only 2GB RAM
Only 2GB database size limit
Only 2 CPUs
Only five concurrent batch workloads or 25 concurrent connections for websites
No Database Server Failover Support
No Full-text search
No SQL Server Profiler
No Import and Export Wizards
No OLAP
No English Query
No SQL Books Online
No Full or Bulk-Logged recovery model support (only simple)
(This list covers most of the MSDE limitations. There may be a few omitted.)
Hardware Requirements for MSDEProcessor
Intel Pentium 166 MHz or higher processor
Memory
Windows XP: 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM
Windows 2000: 64 MB of RAM
All other operating systems: 32 MB of RAM
Hard disk
44 MB of available hard disk space
Operating System Requirements for MSDE
Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
Windows 2000 Server
Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Windows NT Server 4.0 with Service Pack 5 (SP5) or later
Windows NT Server 4.0, Enterprise Edition, with SP5 or later
Windows NT Workstation 4.0 with SP5 or later
Windows XP Professional
Windows XP Home Edition
Windows 2000 Professional
Windows Millennium Edition
Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 98 does not provide support for the following features:
