Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Express is a free edition of SQL Server ideal for learning, developing and powering desktop and small server applications and for redistribution by ISVs. You can download the SQL Server 2008 Express Datasheet for the details.
Download SQL Server 2008 Express Datasheet
Abstract courtesy : Microsoft
What the SQL Server 2008 Express Datasheet Means for You Now
A datasheet is short by design, so let me add what I usually tell people who ask about Express. It is the same database engine you find in the paid editions, which is why it is such a nice way to learn. The limits are what make it free. In the 2008 release, a database could grow to 4 GB, and SQL Server 2008 R2 Express raised that to 10 GB. It is also capped on memory and CPU use, so it suits small workloads.
Here are the things I would check before you build on it:
- No SQL Server Agent. Express does not include it, so scheduled backups need another route. Many people use Windows Task Scheduler with
sqlcmdto run a backup script every night. - Growth. Keep an eye on database size. Hitting the cap on a busy day is not fun.
- Edition check. Run
SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('Edition')to confirm what you really installed. - Connections. Express installs as a named instance, SQLEXPRESS by default, and TCP/IP starts out turned off. If other machines must connect, enable it in SQL Server Configuration Manager and use the instance name in the connection string.
- Upgrade path. If the application outgrows Express, setup offers an edition upgrade to a paid edition without moving the databases.
SQL Server 2008 Express is long out of support, so please do not install it for anything new. The idea behind it is still alive, though. Current versions of SQL Server still come with a free Express edition, and the limits have changed over the years. Check the current edition comparison from Microsoft before you decide, and pick the newest version your application supports.
If you only need a database for learning on your own machine, the free Developer edition is another good choice for non-production use.
Published by Pinal Dave on SQLAuthority. More of my work at pinaldave.com.
