Installing MSDE

We are not discussing the installation of SQL Server in this chapter, so why are we addressing the installation of MSDE? Simple: larger installations requiring SQL Server usually have a database administrator or SQL Server specialist install SQL Server. MSDE databases are usually installed for a smaller customer with applications using the power of SQL Server but who does not have the software requirements dictating a full install of SQL Server, or who has low volumes of data (less than two gigabytes of data and ten users or less). This same customer usually does not have the necessary server infrastructure or on-staff database administrators. We used MSDE when a vertical market application needs to be ‚“downsized ‚½ for a smaller client. The same application that runs on SQL Server can be deployed for a client who has one computer in their organization without the need to deploy a database server.

Note ‚  

Microsoft has a MSDE download on their Web site with the installation package: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/msde/downloads/default.asp

The installation process is straightforward, but the parameters are numerous . We suggest you read the documentation to see what options you have. We know this is probably obvious, but an installation with a blank systems administrator (sa) password is strongly discouraged. You cannot run the MSDE setup without providing a systems administrator password via the SAPWD parameter, or overriding the condition with BLANKSAPWD=1 in the parameters.

 Setup.exe SAPWD=myuncrackablepassword 

There are several other key configuration options when installing MSDE including SQL Server Instance Name, security mode (Windows only or mixed SQL Authentication), and upgrading from an older version of MSDE (including the user name and password for the upgrade user).

Note ‚  

The Microsoft MSDN site has a must-read whitepaper if you are installing MSDE using the standard setup executable. It details all the parameters available to you when you run the installation. The whitepaper is located at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/enus/distsql/distsql_84xl.asp

The second method of upgrading is to use the MSDE merge modules if you are using a Windows Installer deployment tool. The merge modules are available on the Microsoft Web site. Do not use the merge modules shipping on the SQL Server 2000 CDs because these are an older version of MSDE without the service packs included to protect the database server from the Slammer virus. We have not been encouraged to use the merge modules because of the Microsoft documentation in the various white papers on the topic, particularly these three bullet points as quoted on the Microsoft Web site ^[1] :

• The instance of MSDE 2000 cannot be patched independently of the application. Only a patch module supplied by the application vendor can be applied to the instance; MSDE 2000 service packs directly from Microsoft cannot be applied.

• The application vendor must build an MSDE 2000 patch file for each MSDE 2000 service pack, and then distribute that patch file to all customers. Customers cannot simply download and apply the latest Microsoft service pack.

• Future releases of SQL Server will not include merge modules.

What this means is any new updates deployed by Microsoft require the developer to package up patch files to pass along the updates. We prefer to allow the database administrators (which could be you) to download the latest updates from Microsoft and run them. We feel it is easier to put a wrapper around the MSDE Setup and install the database server in this manner.

^[1] ‚“Installing the Desktop Engine ‚½ whitepaper found at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/distsql/distsql_3usf.asp