Buy SQL Server 2000 or...

Hi all,
I just need an opinion -
The organization I work for is considering buying the "full version" of SQL
Server 2000 (we're using MSDE 2000 right now).
The thing is, since we're in 2004, I'm worried that the next big version of
SQL Server could be somewhere around the corner.
(The present version's capabilities are absolutely convenient for our needs
now and as far as I can see in the future.)
Our server is running on Windows 2000, and maybe we'll move to Windows 2003
some time next year.
So here are my questions:
- Is it worth it to invest substantial money in SQL Server 2000 now or
should we cope with MSDE and wait for the next release;
- If we're going with the 2000 version, and since the life cycle of server
products tends to be a bit longer than destop products, how many years from
now is it reasonable to think that it would be supported ?
TIA
Paul Dussault, MCPThe next version is SQL Server 2005 ("Yukon") which Microsoft has announced
for the first half of 2005.
Microsoft's support lifecycle policies are documented here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=lifecycle
This states that Mainstream Support for SQLServer 2000 will end 31 December
2005. In view of the projected release date of Yukon I wouldn't be surprised
if the end date of the Mainstream Support period was pushed back. Extended
Support ends 31 December 2007.
I would suggest that if SQL2000 meets your requirements and is going to
bring benefits to your organization today then there is no reason to wait.
--
David Portas
SQL Server MVP
--|||It is expected that Yukon (the next version of SQL Server) will be =released some time next year. If you need to upgrade to SQL Server it =might be good to do so now. SQL Server 2000 will probably be supported =until the version of SQL Server after Yukon is released, so SQL Server =2000 will probabaly be supported for a while.
If you have a database with many users I am guessing that SQL Server =will probably perform better than MSDE. With that said, I cannot tell =you what to do. How is MSDE performing for you? You mentioned ="substancial money" ...do you have to buy a new server, or are you =talking about license cost? -- Keith
"Paul Dussault" <paulduss@.hotmail.com> wrote in message =news:%23ArQuNDNEHA.2780@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Hi all,
> > I just need an opinion -
> > The organization I work for is considering buying the "full version" =of SQL
> Server 2000 (we're using MSDE 2000 right now).
> The thing is, since we're in 2004, I'm worried that the next big =version of
> SQL Server could be somewhere around the corner.
> (The present version's capabilities are absolutely convenient for our =needs
> now and as far as I can see in the future.)
> Our server is running on Windows 2000, and maybe we'll move to Windows =2003
> some time next year.
> > So here are my questions:
> > - Is it worth it to invest substantial money in SQL Server 2000 now or
> should we cope with MSDE and wait for the next release;
> - If we're going with the 2000 version, and since the life cycle of =server
> products tends to be a bit longer than destop products, how many years =from
> now is it reasonable to think that it would be supported ?
> > > TIA
> > > Paul Dussault, MCP
> >|||Hi Keith,
> If you have a database with many users I am guessing that SQL Server will
probably perform better than MSDE.
For now we have just a few apps with just a few users. But many more apps
and Web sites are in planning or in development, so we're bound to work with
the full version at one time or another.
> How is MSDE performing for you? You mentioned "substancial money" ...do
you have to buy a new server, or are you talking about license cost?
MSDE is OK right now. And we have a brand new server and it rocks. I
personally think that SQL Server 2000 will be supported for a while; but I
have to sit with management and will have to deal with their perception:
"why should we buy a 3000$ product that is 4 year old, to replace a product
that's working fine and is... free?"
You get the idea... So I'll need all the arguments I can get (and a few
experts opinions could do no harm!) to convince them that it's a worthy
purchase...
Thanks for your input!
Paul Dussault, MCP
--
Keith
"Paul Dussault" <paulduss@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23ArQuNDNEHA.2780@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Hi all,
> I just need an opinion -
> The organization I work for is considering buying the "full version" of
SQL
> Server 2000 (we're using MSDE 2000 right now).
> The thing is, since we're in 2004, I'm worried that the next big version
of
> SQL Server could be somewhere around the corner.
> (The present version's capabilities are absolutely convenient for our
needs
> now and as far as I can see in the future.)
> Our server is running on Windows 2000, and maybe we'll move to Windows
2003
> some time next year.
> So here are my questions:
> - Is it worth it to invest substantial money in SQL Server 2000 now or
> should we cope with MSDE and wait for the next release;
> - If we're going with the 2000 version, and since the life cycle of server
> products tends to be a bit longer than destop products, how many years
from
> now is it reasonable to think that it would be supported ?
>
> TIA
>
> Paul Dussault, MCP
>|||Thanks David,
This kind of data will be helpful.
Paul Dussault, MCP
"David Portas" <REMOVE_BEFORE_REPLYING_dportas@.acm.org> wrote in message
news:luidnetW86CJCwbdRVn-gw@.giganews.com...
> The next version is SQL Server 2005 ("Yukon") which Microsoft has
announced
> for the first half of 2005.
> Microsoft's support lifecycle policies are documented here:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=lifecycle
> This states that Mainstream Support for SQLServer 2000 will end 31
December
> 2005. In view of the projected release date of Yukon I wouldn't be
surprised
> if the end date of the Mainstream Support period was pushed back. Extended
> Support ends 31 December 2007.
> I would suggest that if SQL2000 meets your requirements and is going to
> bring benefits to your organization today then there is no reason to wait.
> --
> David Portas
> SQL Server MVP
> --
>|||Thanks Julie,
This will be a good read for my bosses indeed.
Paul Dussault, MCP
"Julie" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B71D98AC-4EEB-4C1E-AF95-4C17A592B25A@.microsoft.com...
> ..this maybe somewhere to start?
> http://www.teratrax.com/articles/msde_vs_sql_server.html|||Paul,
A tip if you aren't already aware of it:
You can use DBCC CONCURRENCYVIOLATION to monitor how often etc. the performance throttling has kicked in. This
might buy you some time, and perhaps the support plans for SQL2K has been updated by the time this reports any
significant throttling...
--
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
"Paul Dussault" <paulduss@.hotmail.com> wrote in message news:uQ6buGENEHA.3476@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Hi Keith,
> > If you have a database with many users I am guessing that SQL Server will
> probably perform better than MSDE.
> For now we have just a few apps with just a few users. But many more apps
> and Web sites are in planning or in development, so we're bound to work with
> the full version at one time or another.
> > How is MSDE performing for you? You mentioned "substancial money" ...do
> you have to buy a new server, or are you talking about license cost?
> MSDE is OK right now. And we have a brand new server and it rocks. I
> personally think that SQL Server 2000 will be supported for a while; but I
> have to sit with management and will have to deal with their perception:
> "why should we buy a 3000$ product that is 4 year old, to replace a product
> that's working fine and is... free?"
> You get the idea... So I'll need all the arguments I can get (and a few
> experts opinions could do no harm!) to convince them that it's a worthy
> purchase...
> Thanks for your input!
>
> Paul Dussault, MCP
> --
> Keith
>
> "Paul Dussault" <paulduss@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:%23ArQuNDNEHA.2780@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I just need an opinion -
> >
> > The organization I work for is considering buying the "full version" of
> SQL
> > Server 2000 (we're using MSDE 2000 right now).
> > The thing is, since we're in 2004, I'm worried that the next big version
> of
> > SQL Server could be somewhere around the corner.
> > (The present version's capabilities are absolutely convenient for our
> needs
> > now and as far as I can see in the future.)
> > Our server is running on Windows 2000, and maybe we'll move to Windows
> 2003
> > some time next year.
> >
> > So here are my questions:
> >
> > - Is it worth it to invest substantial money in SQL Server 2000 now or
> > should we cope with MSDE and wait for the next release;
> > - If we're going with the 2000 version, and since the life cycle of server
> > products tends to be a bit longer than destop products, how many years
> from
> > now is it reasonable to think that it would be supported ?
> >
> >
> > TIA
> >
> >
> > Paul Dussault, MCP
> >
> >
>