is the upgrade to SQL 2008 worth the expense
We currently have SQL 2005 and I'm in the process of upgrading our servers to 2008 STD. Is it necessary to upgrade to SQL 2008? We are non-profit and money is tight.
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Upgrading for new 2008 features. To go to R2 I have to wipe the servers and start from scratch. Don't want to do that.
Yes it will definitely worth it in the long run. Thinking of it only as a database upgrade is very wrong. SQL 2008 is not an only schema upgrade or some commands added to SQL 2005. It is not an upgrade from SQL 2000 to 2005. It is also an upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit. I am not a Microsoft fan, so please keep reading. As our systems generally depend on MS products, I will just give examples from MS.
All of the 2010 branded products by Microsoft requires SQL Server 2008 as well as Windows Server 2008 and will NOT work on SQL Server 2005 or Windows Server 2003. For example Forefront Identity Manager 2010 replacing the ILM 2007 requires a SQL Server 2008 database and it is 64-bit only, no 32-bit versions will be published.
As the technology moves on, the newer products will not support legacy platforms. And this time it will not be like Windows 2000 - 2003 migration. Many companies still use Windows Server 2000, because applications work with it. Note that Windows 2008 and SQL 2008 are not this kind of upgrades, the catch here is they are 64-bit platforms. Most software companies like Microsoft want to take advantage of 64-bit technology. Again I will make an example of Microsoft that it is long before announced that the new generation product line will only support 64-bit.
So, if you want to use products branded above 2007 (Exchange 2010, Oracle 12, Forefront products, etc...), then you must start from somewhere and SQL is way to go in your case.
All of the 2010 branded products by Microsoft requires SQL Server 2008 as well as Windows Server 2008 and will NOT work on SQL Server 2005 or Windows Server 2003. For example Forefront Identity Manager 2010 replacing the ILM 2007 requires a SQL Server 2008 database and it is 64-bit only, no 32-bit versions will be published.
As the technology moves on, the newer products will not support legacy platforms. And this time it will not be like Windows 2000 - 2003 migration. Many companies still use Windows Server 2000, because applications work with it. Note that Windows 2008 and SQL 2008 are not this kind of upgrades, the catch here is they are 64-bit platforms. Most software companies like Microsoft want to take advantage of 64-bit technology. Again I will make an example of Microsoft that it is long before announced that the new generation product line will only support 64-bit.
So, if you want to use products branded above 2007 (Exchange 2010, Oracle 12, Forefront products, etc...), then you must start from somewhere and SQL is way to go in your case.
ASKER
Thank you very much for the input. I'll take it under advisement
I guess you are upgrading from windows 2000 to 2008?