Web Edition for SQL Server 2008

A new, low-cost edition of SQL Server 2008, which shipped in Aug. 2008, targets hosters and organizations with public-facing Web sites. Available through volume licensing and Microsoft’s Service Provider License Agreement, SQL Server 2008 Web Edition costs less than the Standard Edition and offers better scalability than the free Express Edition, which some organizations use for simple, relatively small Web sites. Although Web Edition includes more features than Express, it contains no server or deployment features beyond those in Standard and lacks some SQL Server features that could have benefited large hosters.

Restricted to Internet Sites, Web Applications

Microsoft promotes SQL Server 2008 Web Edition as a database solution for service providers that host Web sites and Web applications for customers, and for organizations hosting their own public-facing Web sites and applications. To attract service providers, Microsoft has made the edition available through its Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA) program, which reduces startup costs by allowing providers to pay for products on an ongoing, per-month basis rather than with large one-time, initial payments.