SQL Server Compact Edition Moves to Desktops

SQL Server Compact Edition (SSCE), previously limited to running on Windows CE and Windows Mobile, can now be used on desktop versions of Windows as well. SSCE, also known by the code-name SQL Server Everywhere, can be built into a desktop application, without requiring a server-based instance of SQL Server, and it uses the same database engine and management tools as other editions of SQL Server. However, developers should consider whether the ease of deployment is outweighed by a limited set of features.

From Jet, to SQL Express, to SQL CE

Virtually every application, whether developed for internal use by a corporate IT department or for resale by an ISV, needs to store, update, query, and manage data. Historically, Microsoft has offered two types of products: database services and embedded databases. Database services, such as SQL Server, run as an OS service, handle multiple applications and users simultaneously, and can run on a separate machine from the application. Embedded databases, such as Microsoft’s Jet (used by Access, for example), run in the same process as an application and handle requests only from the hosting application.