Q: Can I use as large of a database as I want with SQL Express?
A: You are limited to 10 GB for a database if you are using Express.
Q: My database is 9 GB and I have 35 users, but it is still so slow. I thought SQL Express supports databases this large?
A: SQL Express DOES support up to 10 GB for a database, but there is an important memory limitation – after approximately 1 GB of database memory use, the rest is pushed to the page file of the hard drive and can be considerably slower, particularly under higher loads. We recommend using SQL Standard after a database is 1 GB, or you have approximately 15 or more users. This second metric is due to a higher growth rate of a database as you have more users entering data.
Q: SQL Standard is expensive. Does my business really need this?
A: Possibly – refer to the above questions. If in doubt, SQL Standard does have a six month trial, which should be more than enough time for a business to test with and make a sound financial decision on whether the purchase is worth the money.
Q: I tried it and it helped. But I read online that an SSD can read and write data many many times more rapidly than a mechanical drive. My database is only 5 gigabytes. So why do I need SQL Standard if it’s just going to put it in memory?
A: This is a common question, with two common misconceptions. They can and do result in tremendous reductions in load times for modules from the app server and query times for larger express databases. But they are not a panacea – a faster hard drive can never replace proper configuration and other weak links in an environment. They are also not ticking time bombs waiting to delete your data, but SSDs are also not all created equal – ONLY use an enterprise grade SSD from a reputable brand on a server. A consumer SSD is not suitable for a server in any circumstance.
Q: I’m still not sure / I have other questions about your SQL, server, or network specifications. Do you have documentation on this?
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