How to Download Microsoft SQL Server

By FoxLearn 6/22/2024 3:39:13 AM   193
Microsoft SQL Server is available in several editions, each catering to different needs and use cases.

microsoft sql server editions

Microsoft SQL Server Editions

Free editions

Express

It's a free lightweight/lite edition of SQL Server with some limitations, ideal for learning and building desktop, web, and small server applications.

It has limitations on database size (10 GB per database), memory usage (1 GB of RAM per instance), and CPU usage (limited to 1 socket or 4 cores).

Developer

Similar to the Enterprise edition in terms of features, but licensed for development and testing only. It is essentially the Enterprise edition without the production deployment rights, intended for use by developers and for testing purposes.

Evaluation

The Evaluation edition of SQL Server is a complete and fully-functional trial version of the Enterprise Edition. It offers all the features and capabilities of SQL Server Enterprise but is time-limited to 180 days.

After this period, while the management tools will still be accessible, the server services will cease to function until a licensed version is installed.

Paid editions

EnterpriseThis edition is designed for large organizations with complex database requirements. It includes all features of SQL Server and supports advanced features such as data warehousing, advanced analytics, and high availability.
Enterprise CoreEnterprise edition with the Core-based Licensing. The plain Enterprise one is limited to just 20 CPU cores.
StandardThis edition is suitable for smaller to medium-sized organizations. It includes core database features and basic business intelligence capabilities.
Azure SQL DatabaseAzure SQL Database is the cloud-based version of SQL Server, presented as a platform as a service (PaaS) offering on Microsoft Azure.

Specialized editions

WebWeb edition is a low total-cost-of-ownership option for Web hosters.
Business IntelligenceBusiness Intelligence edition includes the Standard Edition capabilities and Business Intelligence tools.
Analytics Platform System (APS)Formerly Parallel Data Warehouse (PDW). A massively parallel processing (MPP) SQL Server appliance optimized for large-scale data warehousing such as hundreds of terabytes.
Big Data Clusters (BDC)Starting with SQL Server 2019, SQL Server Big Data Clusters allow you to deploy scalable clusters of SQL Server, Spark, and HDFS (Hadoop Distributed File System) containers running on Kubernetes.
LocalDBSQL Server Express LocalDB is a lightweight version of Microsoft SQL Server that is designed for developers. It provides a simple way to create and manage databases that are primarily meant for single-user applications and scenarios where a full SQL Server installation might be unnecessary or impractical.