davedolan.com

I’m trying to figure out exactly how many copies of what edition of what version of SQL Server we have in the enterprise. Normally I just use the inventory tools in Altiris for this sort of thing, because I have product names and version numbers and all that. The only trouble is, THERE IS NO MARKED DIFFERENCE in the version numbers, product names, or EXE names between editions of SQL Server. So, what it looks like is that I have a couple hundred SQL Servers when about 20 are only actually servers. The rest are MSDE installations. The same goes with SQL 2k5 and SQL Express. What is the idea here? Does Microsoft actually collect on people mistaking the free personal editions for enterprise servers? Even if they do, that’s total crap, and if they don’t, STILL total crap. Microsoft, if you’re reading this, (and I know at least some of you are because I get email from you about my blog) add this voice to the teeming millions of unhappy Enterprise Agreement customers trying to figure out exactly how many instances of which kind of SQL are installed, and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! We’re paying a lot more than the mom and pop shops who can ‘inventory’ their office by counting machines in the rack, and we deserve a little break on this one.