As always, Microsoft always keeps us on our toes...  With the release of SQL Server 2008, Microsoft has released a new edition of SQL Server: SQL Server 2008 Web Edition. 

It is specifically designed for web hosting providers and has more robust capabilities than previous versions of SQL Server.  SQL Server 2008 Web Edition provides a low-cost option to support large-scale, highly available Web applications or hosting solutions to customers.

SQL Server 2008 Web Edition comes with:

• Four-CPU support
• No limits on memory
• No limits on database size

Log shipping increases database availability by automatically backing up, copying, and restoring transaction logs on standby servers.

SQL Server 2008 Web supports the new improved SQL Server Driver for PHP for PHP applications deployed on the Windows platform.

SQL Server 2008 Web Edition also includes new tools for ease deployment and administration:

• A database publishing tool
• Reduced administration time with Policy-Based Management and performance data collection tools

Availability gotchas!!

SQL Server 2008 Web Edition is available in only two Microsoft licensing channels:

• Select licensing program and Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA).
• Client access licenses (CALs) are not applicable to SQL Server 2008 Web.

SQL Server 2008 Web can only be used to host and support public and internet-accessible web pages, sites, applications, and services.

SQL Server 2008 Web may not be used to support business applications that are not accessed directly from the internet.  If additional capabilities are needed, consider using SQL Server 2008 Standard or SQL Server 2008 Enterprise which includes all features available in SQL Server 2008 Web Edition.

Feature list gotchas!!

Microsoft has posted a list of supported features per SQL Server 2008 edition listed here, http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645993(SQL.100).aspx.  Be sure to review it carefully as there are quite a few features removed from this installation.