I have a potential customer who has a server , and will be running a distributed application on each of the reps laptops.
There are about 15 reps, who will be running the application , disconnected, and then uploading data to the server
Sql express is not an option as Database sze is over 4 Gigs.

Does anybody know the licensing situaution in this case.... e.g. Do I need to purchase 15 server licenses at about $1800 each for each of the Reps laptops ?

I had a look at the MS pricing site but it gave no example of this situation

Sorry, I really did misunderstand the question. But even working disconnected, do they need over 4gb of data in one DB on their laptop? And since you have to sync it up anyway, could you have disconnected app use smaller SQL Express DBs or is one table over 4gb? Since SF will let you use multiple connections in the app, you might be able to get around it that way, having one DB that handles their data entry current stuff and the others that have the "lookup" or research info they may need while disconnected.

Hi Charles,



I recently have a customer who reaches the 4GB limits in MS-SQL-EXPRESS and let me tell you it is just ugly. Once this limit is reached you cannot even insert any new records to the database.



I believe that Gerard's database needed in the laptop to handle the new transactions is over 4GB limit and even with your idea of probably having several tables in different database and SF will perfectly handle that situation, it could be a royal pain to maintain the data structure logic in separate databases, doable but wierd



SF full support is what is needed to overcome this and many other real situation outside the MS-SQL word. Please don't get me wrong I love MS-SQL and the full support from SF, but the economy and market in US is not at its best and having other good databases like MySQL could be the only solid alternative to MS-SQL-EXPRESS.

Edhy Rijo

Wow..this is turning out to be a very interesting thread..thanks for all contributions.

I would add that  this customer, although an existing customer, the reps app has not been signed off on yet, so to some degree, a bit theoretical. However, I do have to give the guy figures, and though the main app on the notebook wont go above 4 gigs, they do want to be able to access company wide information which easily could go over the 4 Gigs. I need to have the figures, if we start off with Sql Express, and then end up with Edhy's scenario where the database goes over 4 gigs one day....we'll all be in  a dilly of a pickle then !!!!

The next day.... the company may need to fork out 15 X $1,800 = $27,000...not a pretty picture

Is there another database out there which is truly 100% comapatbale with Sql Server......if it was 100% compatable , should it not then be a matter of changing a connection string and bobs your uncle ??..The App or Sf should not even be aware of a change  if it is truly 100% compaible ??

I use SF with MySQL, I had to write my own MySQLDataSourceItem but it works fine and has been for several years, although the application is a simple website application.

I also wrote a custom DataSourceItem to work with SQL Compact, not that this is a solution here but illustrates that with a little work you can make SF work with what you want.

The only trouble I ever had using SF with using a database other than SQL Server was with DB2, which I dont suggest anyone try unless you have a DB2 DBA around.

So there are options,  but I am pretty sure Trent posted that MySQL support was to be added soon in SF !!??

Keith Chisarik

Hi Keith,



The application which I would like to use MySQL is a smart client and currently its VFP version is installed at more than 100 customers and the majority with a very low end hardware, some will even have Windows 2000 with 256 MB RAM. It is just impossible for me to even try to install a SF version with MS-SQL Express on that kind of hardware and the reality is that this particular application is sold in a range of US$500.00 - US$650.00 and this kind of customers will only replace the hardware if it is broken. So in reality I have to keep the application in VFP for now until I find a way to use SF applications under this kind of environment.



Also I will need the DDT functionality in order to update MySQL structures at the customers site when releasing updates, if you know a way for me to do this with MySQL or VistaDB please let me know so I can start testing.





Yes, the question is when will that happen? AFAIK I am not aware of an SF roadmap posted for us to plan ahead for upcoming updates.

Edhy Rijo