SQL Server 2005 Express and Full-text Indexing

When I went to install SQL Express the other day, I couldn't find Full-text indexing. Our immediate reaction was that Microsoft must have removed it as a "free component" in SQL Express. But after some further checking, it turns out that Full-text indexing is still available.

There are actually 2 versions of SQL Server 2005 Express. Both are free to download. You can download all versions here:

http://www.microsoft.com/express/2005/sql/download/default.aspx

NOTE: Both versions require Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or higher installed before proceeding.

Also NOTE: As you can see, the biggest difference between these 2 versions is the size of the download. If you don't need full text indexing and a few of the other unique services to the "Advanced Services" edition, then you don't need to incur that large difference in download size. This is especially important to consider if you are deploying this database as part of your product install.

Here is a description for each version of what is included:

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (36.5 MB)

• Stored procedures, Views, Triggers, Cursors
• Snapshot isolation levels
• XML Support (including XQuery and XML schemas)
• SQL Server Configuration Manager
• Replication (Subscriber only). Transactional replication only available in SQL Server Enterprise Edition.
• Integration with Visual Studio, SQL CLR
• Import/Export Wizard

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services (234 MB)

• All features in the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express edition
• SQL Server Management Studio Express
• A subset of SQL Reporting Services features
• Full-text indexing / Full text search

The following are NOT support in SQL Express:

• Database mirroring
• Online restore
• Database snapshot
• Partitioning
• SQL Mail and Database Mail
• Online Index Operations
• SQL Server Agent and SQL Server Agent Service

There are a few other limitations to SQL Express that you need to keep in mind:

• Only utilizes a singe processor. Dual cores are used by if you have more than one processor, SQL Express will only use one of them for its processing.
• 1 GB of RAM maximum limit. No matter how much RAM you have, only 1 GB of RAM will be used by SQL Express.
• 4 GB "on disk" size limit. Your MDF file cannot grow larger than 4 GB's. NOTE: this does not count your LDF (log file) in this size.

A full list of feature comparisons between Express and all the other SQL Server versions is available here:

http://www.microsoft.com/Sqlserver/2005/en/us/compare-features.aspx

Once installed, don't forget to get the latest service packs and install them for these versions to get the latest updates, security fixes, and features.