Datasheet

If you’re curious about all that you can do in a distributed computing envi-

ronment, check out Chapter 6.

Independent Systems Vendor/Original

Equipment Manufacturer (ISV/OEM)

ISVs and OEMs have first-hand experience that the cost of embedded tech-

nology can eat into profits. That’s not a problem with SQL Server 2005

Express: Free generally doesn’t have much of an impact on margins. However,

don’t be fooled by the price: This is a full-featured database, built on the SQL

Server platform.

If you base your applications and solutions around SQL Server 2005 Express,

you’re not locked in: If your customers need extra horsepower and capabili-

ties, they can quickly and painlessly upgrade to a more powerful edition of

SQL Server.

The beauty of basing your solutions on a single relational database management

product family is that you can do your development on the more advanced edi-

tions of SQL Server, using robust tools like Visual Studio, and then easily deploy

your application onto the lightweight SQL Server 2005 Express.

As an added benefit to OEMs and ISVs, SQL Server 2005 Express lets you

store your data in a single, easily transferred file. Known as an .mdf file, this

structure combines the simplicity of a low-end flat file with the power of a

true relational database management system. You should note, however, that

you have to deploy the SQL Server Express 2005 server, even if you only

intend to deploy .mdf files with your solution.

Getting Down to Business with

SQL Server 2005 Express

In previous sections, I show you all that you get with your free download of

SQL Server 2005 Express Edition. If you’re wondering how you can get started

using the product, that’s what this section is all about. To begin, I point out

some things to ponder as you plan and deploy your database. Next, I talk

about all the programming tools at your disposal for building a SQL Server

2005 Express-based application. Finally, I show how you can configure and

monitor your database.

Chapter 1: SQL Server 2005 Express Overview

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