Are you Vista_Ready? Remember to Upgrade your MSDE!
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE) will not be supported on Windows Vista.
If Vista compatibility is essential for your business, the solution is to upgrade your MSDE applications to SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Express), the new version of MSDE.
Here are the reasons behind Microsoft's decision: "...As MSDE is nearing the end of its support lifecycle, we decided that our customers would be best served by focusing our engineering resources to test and validate SQL Server 2005 on the new Windows Vista/ Windows Server ”Longhorn” platform. Accordingly, our proposed strategy is to provide a clear upgrade path for our MSDE customers to the new SQL 2005 platform..."
Moreover, there are several significant benefits to upgrading MSDE applications to SQL Express. Benefits include increased maximum data base size of 4 GB, removal of the workload governor, a free, integrated management tool (SQL Server Management Studio Express), SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services and importantly serviceability with Windows update.
Here you can find technical guidance and migration resources that are available to help you make this transition:
- Benefits of Upgrading MSDE to SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (website)
- SQL Server 2005 Express Customer Evidence (website)
- SQL Server 2005 Express Datasheet (datasheet)
- SQL Express Redistribution Rights Registration (website)
- SQL Server Express Blog (website)
- MSDE Mainstream and Extended Support Retirement Dates (website)
- Upgrading from MSDE to SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (white paper)
- Managing SQL Server Express with Management Studio Express (white paper)
- Reporting Services in SQL Server 2005 Express (white paper)