Licensed copy of Server 2005? 2

[amberlynn]

Hello,
How can I tell if my copy of SQL Server 2005 is licensed?
I have a server with this installed on it (by a previous group of people).
I suspect that they may have installed a trial version? or something similar (although it's been in use for a few years).
Is there somewhere I could check?
I was going to attempt to contact Microsft directly, but lost interest after wasting time trying to find out how to do that!
Thanks
Amber

 

[SQLBill]

Try this:

SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('LicenseType')

Ref: ms-help://MS.SQLCC.v9/MS.SQLSVR.v9.en/tsqlref9/html/11e166fa-3dd2-42d8-ac4b-04f18c612c4a.htm

You should get one of these:
PER_SEAT
PER_PROCESSOR
DISABLED

-SQLBill

The following is part of my signature block and is only intended to be informational.
Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[SQLBill]

Another one to try:

SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('Edition')

Returns:

'Desktop Engine' (Not available for SQL Server 2005.)
'Developer Edition'
'Enterprise Edition'
'Enterprise Evaluation Edition'
'Personal Edition'(Not available for SQL Server 2005.)
'Standard Edition'
'Express Edition'
'Express Edition with Advanced Services'
'Workgroup Edition'
'Windows Embedded SQL'

So, if you have the evaluation version, it should return Enterprise Evaluation Edition.

-SQLBill

The following is part of my signature block and is only intended to be informational.
Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[amberlynn]

Thanks!

The License Type comes up as 'disabled' and the Edition comes up as 'developer'.

I suspect the IT group from the past set this up as a test server, without actual licensing maybe?

What do these results mean?

Thanks,
Amber

 

[gmmastros]

A Developer edition of SQL Server has the same functionality as Enterprise Edition. If you are using this instance of sql server for production data, you are violating the developer license. You are only licensed to use this instance for developing software.

For example, if you have a licensed version of SQL server that you use for your production data, and you ONLY use this instance for development, then you're ok. If not, my advice is to first determine which features of SQL you are using so you can purchase the correct version.

If you aren't too fancy with your database, only using it to save and report data, and your database is less than 4 gigs, you may be able to use SQL Server Express (which is free).

If your database is larger, or you are using more advanced features, then you will need to purchase a version.

There is a pretty good comparison here:

http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/editions.aspx

-George

"The great things about standards is that there are so many to choose from." - Fortune Cookie Wisdom

 

[amberlynn]

Thanks for your help. That was my assumption, I just wasn't sure how to confirm it

Looks like we're buying SQL Server 2008!

Cheers,
Amber

 

[gmmastros]

Looks like we're buying SQL Server 2008!

That's what I figured, and it's why I posted that link. You should be aware that there are various editions, each with different limitations and functionality. The hard part for you is to determine which version you should buy. SQL Server is not cheap. You don't want to purchase a lower version and find out you need functionality of a higher version, but you also don't want to purchase a more expensive version if a cheaper version would suffice.

Determining which version to buy is the tricky part. If you can determine the features you need from your database, I'm sure the nice folks at Microsoft would be happy to advise you on the most appropriate version of SQL server to buy.


-George

"The great things about standards is that there are so many to choose from." - Fortune Cookie Wisdom