Every version of SQL Server comes with 5 or more different editions. These SQL Server editions differ considerably in features and components as well as the price tag. For example SQL Server 2016 has 6 editions. This is one less than the earlier version of SQL Server.
Editions Of SQL Server 2016
- Enterprise
- Standard
- Developer
- Web
- Express
Let’s see the features of these editions in detail.
1. SQL Server 2016 Enterprise Edition
Enterprise edition is the premium editions of all in SQL Server 2016. This edition has all the features of SQL Server 2016. The other editions has limited number of features compared to this. The major features of enterprise edition includes:
- Enterprise edition has no limitation of processor cores. It can use all the processors the server has.
- There is No limitation of memory use per instance either.
- A database can grow up to 524 PB.
- It has the database snapshot capability.
- It has advanced integration services like advanced adapters and advanced transforms (Fuzzy grouping and lookup, persistent lookup, etc.).
- Some of the advanced security features available in enterprise edition are always encrypted, fine-grained auditing, transparent database encryption, etc.
- It also has the Advanced high availability system (Always-On, Online page and file restore, online indexing, online schema change, Mirrored backups, etc.).
- In-memory OLTP, the Microsoft’s newest in-memory optimization technique is available only in the enterprise edition and developer edition of SQL Server 2016.
- Apart from this, it has all the features available in the standard edition.
- The enterprise edition is priced in per core licensing model. As of today, per core costs starts from US$14,256.
2. SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition
- The standard edition supports only up to 24 processor cores.
- Standard edition can use the server’s memory up to 128 GB.
- Reporting services can use the memory up to 64 GB.
- Similar to enterprise edition a database in standard edition can grow up to 524 PB.
- It does not have the full fledged business intelligence modules or the advanced security features like the transparent database auditing or the extensible key management available in enterprise edition.
- Standard edition is priced in per core licensing model. Per core costs US$3,717.
3. SQL Server 2016 Developer Edition
- Developer edition in SQL Server 2016 has all the features as in Enterprise Edition. But limited by license to be used for development, testing and demonstration purpose.
- Developer edition is not licensed to use in production environment.
- Price: From March 31, 2016 the developer edition is free of cost. Previously there was a small price of around $50 per developer license.
- See this article for the step by step installation guide for SQL Server Developer Edition.
4. SQL Server 2016 Web Edition
- Web edition is the cost-effective edition of the SQL Server 2016 database especially for web site hosting.
- Web edition supports up to 16 processor cores for a single instance.
- Each instance can use the memory of the server up to 64 GB.
- Just like the enterprise and the standard editions, a database can grow up to 524 PB.
- Buffer pool extension is not available.
- Analysis Services are not available
- Just like standard edition web edition also does not have the business intelligence modules or the advanced features available in enterprise edition.
- Price: The web edition is not available to be purchased by the public. It is available only for the hosting providers. Microsoft have not disclosed the price for the web edition.
5. SQL Server 2016 Express Edition
- Express edition is a free and light weight edition of SQL Server with various limitations.
- This is the entry-level database edition designed for small application using very less data to be stored.
- Express edition supports up to 4 processor cores for an instance.
- Maximum memory use is up to 1 GB per instance.
- A database can grow up to a largest size of 10 GB.
- SQL Agent is not available. So, automatic backups are not possible to schedule as a maintenance plan.
- Unlike the developer edition the express edition is licensed to use for production.
- This edition is helpful for small applications which use less data.
- Price: Free.
Reference
- Features supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2016.
- SQL Server Price Details in How to buy SQL Server.