is it possible to "downgrade" versions of SQL Server?

  • Good day,

    I have been tasked with looking into options to "downgrade" or turn off features that may have been enabled.  Right now, we are using the developers version of SQL Server 2005 for our OLAP testing.  Developers, as most are aware, is equilivent to Enterprise version.  There is some concern that when we move to production, we may find out that we may have used an "enterprise" tool with out knowing about it.  We are not against purchasing enterprise if we need it, but would like to know we are going standard.  I have told the developers we just need to be aware of what tools come in what editions, and they are aware of the differences, but there are some with less than a developers knowledge that are concerned.  I have seen, and done edition upgrades, however, I have never seen anything about edition "downgrades", I suspect the only way to accomplish this is to re-install.  Thoughts?

    TIA

    Cory

    -- Cory

  • Hi Cory,

    You can find the details on Edition "upgrades" here: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143393(SQL.90).aspx

    I've included the key part of the table for your convenience.

    SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition 1

    SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition1

    SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition 

    SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition1

    SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Evaluation Edition1

    SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition 

    SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Express Edition 

    SQL Server 2005 Express Edition 1

    SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition 

    SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Developer Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Developer Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Developer Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Developer Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Evaluation Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Developer Edition

    SQL Server 2005 IA64 (64-bit) Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Evaluation Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Developer Edition

    SQL Server 2005 X64 (64-bit) Standard Edition

    Bottom line is you can't go from Enterprise to Standard without doing an uninstall/reinstall. But you can go from Standard to Enterprise.

    Cheers,

    Dan

     

  • Okay - I have a followup question.  I know there is a compatibility mode between versions - how about a way to run in standard edition compatibility mode.  I see that there is a compatibility mode setting but my initial findings only show examples between versions – not editions. 

    Perhaps by using a compatibility mode we can turn off all the enterprise features and thus assure ourselves that we’re running standard edition.

    -- Cory

  • Compatibility mode is only about versions (7.0, 8.0, 9.0) and not editions (Workgroup, Standard, Enterprise). There is no way that I know of to run Enterprise Edition with Standard Edition-only features.

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply