SQL Express vs SQL Pro/licensed version

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Posted on by ZenMasta

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As a small business with 3 concurrent users. I am heavily leaning toward SQL Express.

My thoughts are a small business like mine handing maybe 10-20 orders per day should work well within the limitations (1GB memory, 1 cpu/4 cores, and 10GB file), and probably for a good while.

A response I received from my resale partner was

"If you want Express I understand - I just want you to be aware of the limitations. Just transferring data between SQL Versions usually a minimum 4 hour consulting event."

I feel like this is response is intended to coerce me into buying an SQL Server license, with a "threat" of 4 hours consulting fees. 4 hours seems pretty outrageous for database backup/restoration in my opinion.

I'm not a stranger to SQL/mySQL server administration. Lets say I grow out of Express and really do need to migrate, shouldn't it be just as simple as me doing a full backup from express and restoring into whatever version using the management studio?

And obviously a similar scenario if I wanted to upgrade from say 2012 to 2014 or whatever the next version will be.

Has anyone here ever migrated between Express and a commercial license?

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Jonathan Fear on at

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RE: SQL Express vs SQL Pro/licensed version

This means you will not have SRS reports outside of GP. It has nothing to do with the reports from within GP.
ZenMasta 330 on at

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RE: SQL Express vs SQL Pro/licensed version

SSRS, does this mean I will not have reports in GP or is this just a more advanced reporting system in addition to what is available in GP?
Richard Wheeler 75,848 Moderator on at

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RE: SQL Express vs SQL Pro/licensed version

The only minor issue with upgrading SQLEXPRESS is that you will be stuck with the instance name of MYSERVER\SQLEXPRESS. If that is of no concern to you, you can upgrade SQLEXPRESS. Otherwise, you will need to do as I originally described.
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Mahmoud Saadi 32,738 on at

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RE: SQL Express vs SQL Pro/licensed version

For the current situation that you've described, I can see no issue with having SQL express, you can upgrade with not that much of efforts. Although, you might need to take a look at differences between SQL express and standard edition illustrated below;

Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2008 R2

Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2012
Richard Wheeler 75,848 Moderator on at

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RE: SQL Express vs SQL Pro/licensed version

Two of the biggest things you will be missing are:

1) No automated SQL backups

2) NO GP SSRS reports

You can get around the backup issue with scheduled tasks that run T-SQL commands but there is no way to get around the missing SSRS reports.

By the way, it would not take 4 hours to upgrade SQL Express to SQL Standard. You can do it in less than 30 minutes. The best way to do it it to follow the steps in KB878449. After you detach the databases you will uninstall SQL Express and then install SQL Server Standard. You will treat this like a server move.

Having said all of that, I would vote for SQL Server 2012 Standard. That way you are already setup with the latest and greatest.