Microsoft isn't shipping SQL Server 2005 -- or even its third beta -- yet, but it is rolling out a new version of SQL Server 2000.
Starting in March, Microsoft will offer a Workgroup Edition of SQL Server 2000 to fill the gap between the free, embeddable Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE) and SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition.
The long-awaited SQL Server 2005 is still on track to ship this [US] summer, with the third beta due soon, said Tom Rizzo, director of product management for SQL Server. The workgroup version is restricted for use on two CPUs and won't include reporting services, business intelligence and other features of the Standard and Enterprise versions. "It's database only," he said.
Rizzo maintained the repackaging wasn't motivated by pressure from inexpensive, open-source databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL or Oracle 10g Standard Edition One. That product was priced to go head to head with SQL Server in departments and SMBs.
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