Portable SQL Server 1

[ironhide1975]

A client of mine is looking for a way to create a portable database that can be easily distributed to portable machines and run off of the Individual IIS on each machine. Is there a way to do this without having to buy a full version of SQL server? Can MSDE be used, or is this something completely different all together?

 

[SQLBill]

If you mean that you want to create a database that you can put on several machines (laptops??) then you need MSDE. To use SQL Server you would need a copy of the program for each computer that it would be installed on. MSDE is kind of like freeware, so it has better 'portability'.

It is really hard to give you a best answer since it's not really clear (at least to me) what you are trying to do.

-SQLBill

 

[ironhide1975]

We have a product catalog that we created using ASP and SQL server here on our local Intranet. Our marketing manager wants to know if there is an easy way to do this on District Manager's laptops. He figures there might be situations where they can not get online or get to our local Intranet and this would be the best way to provide them with the information they need, offline. The catalog is structured as a product selector guide so it needs to run thru IIS using ASP using a SQL database. The database itself is small, and the files for the photos are stored on the hard drive.

So the question is, do we have to buy a copy of SQL for every machine, or is there a way we can just put a file on each machine and point the ASP to use that file as the data source? We've read that MSDE might work, and that we can just create a DSN to use that. Is this possible? Or do we require a license for each laptop to run this offline?

Therm-o-disc webmaster@tod.com,

http://www.tod.com.

 

[mrdenny]

It sounds like MSDE would work great for you. You could even setup replication from the MSDE to the main server on the Intranet so that when the Reps to get connected to the network again, there copy of the database will automatically sync up with the master server.

Denny

 

[ironhide1975]

Cool, any idea on how to accomplish this, or can you point me to the instructions on how to set this up? Thank for your help. Future comments may come from our database admin.

Therm-o-disc webmaster@tod.com,

http://www.tod.com.

 

[mrdenny]

From what you've describbed, the laptops won't actually be updating the data in the local copy of the database. In this case Snapstop replication will work for you.

Have the DBA look under Snapshot Replication in BOL.

Denny

 

[ironhide1975]

Fantastic, thank you for your help.

Therm-o-disc webmaster@tod.com,

http://www.tod.com.

 

[ironhide1975]

Greetings again, follow up to this. I was able to download MSDE to my local machine, set it up (what a pain that was) and connect to it using Enterprise Manager. However when I try to connect through my webapp, my webapp times out. It seems like it can get the connection started, but when it tries to put anything back it just hangs. Has anyone else has a problem like this?

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