SQL Server 2000/MSDE/SQL 2005 Express mixed environment REDUX

Posted by Terrible Tom on August 30, 2006, 6:35 pm

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I don't consider myself stupid, but when it comes to making a managed post
apparently I have some sort of mental block or something. Hopefully this
time I'll have better luck...

Originally posted on 8/1/06:
---------------------------------
In my network, HQ & Store Ops for one store run on SQL Server 2000 (part of
SBS 2003). The registers & office pcs in that bldg all run MSDE.

In store two, the server (Windows Server 2003 Std) hosts Store Ops with MSDE
and all the registers & PCs run MSDE.

I just rolled out store three (just like store two), and again used MSDE
everywhere - but I toyed with the idea of downloading and using SQL 2005
Express.

In a few weeks, I'll be rolling out store #4. Is there any reason why I
cannot run 2K5E in one store and MSDE elsewhere? Eventually, I suppose I'll
end up with 2K5E everywhere (except maybe the HQ server, and even that's not
a foregone conclusion). Will I have to make the switch all at once?

Posted by Jason on August 30, 2006, 6:52 pm

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I am getting ready to move to a HQ/Store system (from a single store). Is
SQL Server required? What is the downside of just using the bundled MSDE.

I also have the same question below, because I would like to try 2K5E.

Jason

>I don't consider myself stupid, but when it comes to making a managed post

> apparently I have some sort of mental block or something. Hopefully this

> time I'll have better luck...

> Originally posted on 8/1/06:

> ---------------------------------

> In my network, HQ & Store Ops for one store run on SQL Server 2000 (part

> of

> SBS 2003). The registers & office pcs in that bldg all run MSDE.

> In store two, the server (Windows Server 2003 Std) hosts Store Ops with

> MSDE

> and all the registers & PCs run MSDE.

> I just rolled out store three (just like store two), and again used MSDE

> everywhere - but I toyed with the idea of downloading and using SQL 2005

> Express.

> In a few weeks, I'll be rolling out store #4. Is there any reason why I

> cannot run 2K5E in one store and MSDE elsewhere? Eventually, I suppose

> I'll

> end up with 2K5E everywhere (except maybe the HQ server, and even that's

> not

> a foregone conclusion). Will I have to make the switch all at once?

Posted by Glenn Adams [MVP - Retail Mgmt on August 31, 2006, 9:33 am

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HQ will run on MSDE. However, once you are in a multi-store
environment, other factors like database size and user count tend to
push you toward a full SQL Server Edition. You really need to work with
a partner to determine your specific needs now and into the near future.

Glenn Adams
Tiber Creek Consulting
http://www.tibercreek.com
glenn@tibercreek.com
----------------------------------------------
Please DO NOT respond to me directly but post all responses here in the
newsgroup so that all can share the information.

Jason wrote:

> I am getting ready to move to a HQ/Store system (from a single store). Is

> SQL Server required? What is the downside of just using the bundled MSDE.

> I also have the same question below, because I would like to try 2K5E.

> Jason

>> I don't consider myself stupid, but when it comes to making a managed post

>> apparently I have some sort of mental block or something. Hopefully this

>> time I'll have better luck...

>> Originally posted on 8/1/06:

>> ---------------------------------

>> In my network, HQ & Store Ops for one store run on SQL Server 2000 (part

>> of

>> SBS 2003). The registers & office pcs in that bldg all run MSDE.

>> In store two, the server (Windows Server 2003 Std) hosts Store Ops with

>> MSDE

>> and all the registers & PCs run MSDE.

>> I just rolled out store three (just like store two), and again used MSDE

>> everywhere - but I toyed with the idea of downloading and using SQL 2005

>> Express.

>> In a few weeks, I'll be rolling out store #4. Is there any reason why I

>> cannot run 2K5E in one store and MSDE elsewhere? Eventually, I suppose

>> I'll

>> end up with 2K5E everywhere (except maybe the HQ server, and even that's

>> not

>> a foregone conclusion). Will I have to make the switch all at once?

Posted by Forkbeard on August 30, 2006, 7:49 pm

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We're running SQL 2k, 2k5 Express and MSDE across our three stores in a
rather mix and match fashion (even our domain controllers don't all
match) and the only trouble I've had was with scheduling automated
backups of the MSDE databases. Other than that, it all works just like
every other SQL Server instance. Oh, one thing though: SQL 2k5 Express
defaults to running a local instance instead of a publicly shared
instance. It's not hard to change but it can cause some unnecessary
frustration.

Be sure to nab a copy of Management Studio Express while you're at it.
Free and powerful.

--
Shaun

Terrible Tom wrote:

> I don't consider myself stupid, but when it comes to making a managed post

> apparently I have some sort of mental block or something. Hopefully this

> time I'll have better luck...

> Originally posted on 8/1/06:

> ---------------------------------

> In my network, HQ & Store Ops for one store run on SQL Server 2000 (part of

> SBS 2003). The registers & office pcs in that bldg all run MSDE.

> In store two, the server (Windows Server 2003 Std) hosts Store Ops with MSDE

> and all the registers & PCs run MSDE.

> I just rolled out store three (just like store two), and again used MSDE

> everywhere - but I toyed with the idea of downloading and using SQL 2005

> Express.

> In a few weeks, I'll be rolling out store #4. Is there any reason why I

> cannot run 2K5E in one store and MSDE elsewhere? Eventually, I suppose I'll

> end up with 2K5E everywhere (except maybe the HQ server, and even that's not

> a foregone conclusion). Will I have to make the switch all at once?

Posted by Glenn Adams [MVP - Retail Mgmt on August 31, 2006, 9:30 am

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Not sure what a managed post is, but...

You don't have to make the switch all at once. The assorted RMS
programs are just using SQL Server (2000, 2005, MSDE or Express) as a
data source. Almost all of the communication between and within stores
is going to be handled by the RMS applications themselves. The one
place that you MIGHT have an issue would be if you mix 2000 & 2005
within a store and are using Offline databases at the register. I think
you will want to have the server and the registers in a store all using
the same version.

One other caveat that I just saw posted by Jeff in another group - If
you upgrade the server at HQ to use SQL Server 2005, the store databases
that it exports will not work with MSDE. Existing stores using MSDE
would continue to work.

Finally, even though it's not required to change everything at once, I
would want to get out of a mixed environment as quickly as I could. Why
support different systems - consistency between the stores will make
management and troubleshooting easier.

Somewhere down the line, MS is going to stop supporting RMS on MSDE, so
everyone is going to need to upgrade eventually, but that is probably at
least a year away.

Glenn Adams
Tiber Creek Consulting
http://www.tibercreek.com
glenn@tibercreek.com
----------------------------------------------
Please DO NOT respond to me directly but post all responses here in the
newsgroup so that all can share the information.

Terrible Tom wrote:

> I don't consider myself stupid, but when it comes to making a managed post

> apparently I have some sort of mental block or something. Hopefully this

> time I'll have better luck...

> Originally posted on 8/1/06:

> ---------------------------------

> In my network, HQ & Store Ops for one store run on SQL Server 2000 (part of

> SBS 2003). The registers & office pcs in that bldg all run MSDE.

> In store two, the server (Windows Server 2003 Std) hosts Store Ops with MSDE

> and all the registers & PCs run MSDE.

> I just rolled out store three (just like store two), and again used MSDE

> everywhere - but I toyed with the idea of downloading and using SQL 2005

> Express.

> In a few weeks, I'll be rolling out store #4. Is there any reason why I

> cannot run 2K5E in one store and MSDE elsewhere? Eventually, I suppose I'll

> end up with 2K5E everywhere (except maybe the HQ server, and even that's not

> a foregone conclusion). Will I have to make the switch all at once?