OS and SQL Server

  • Can I load a SQL Server onto an external drive that has no operating system and point an application to it so data can be reviewed in the field? 

     

    Thanks

    f

    I wasn't born stupid - I had to study.

  • I'm not sure what you are attempting here.  You should be able to point an application to the SQL Server and access the data from there anyway.  Any external storage would have to be attached to a PC or Server inorder to view the data.

  • Thank you for your reply.  Basically we are trying to purchase few SQL servers to many laptops. 

    If we have an external HD connected to a hub or router that one or many laptops can plug into, can that external HD be formatted to contain a SQL Server without installing an OS (say for example XP)?  Hence, the laptop has a VB app that connects to a SQL server, they could then point to the External HD and get access to the data. 

    Or, do we need to load XP to the external HD and then load SQL Server to that; make a backup of the db from production, put it on the external HD and go with it from there.... 

    I wasn't born stupid - I had to study.

  • I could be wrong here and if anyone knows let me know.  Here is how I think SQL Server works.  SQL Server is an executable that runs on Windows which exposes the data stored in SQL Server database files (.mdf).  Thus SQL Server needs to have an operating system on which to run.  You can put the database files on an external drive, but the SQL Server itself must be on a Windows PC/Server.  The actual SQL Server is a Windows Application/Service.

    You can purchase 1 SQL Server license and a Server to put it on and connect pretty much as many clients as you want to it (based of course on if you went with processor or CAL licensing).  You would just have to manage the accounts on the SQL Server for the users that are connecting. 

  • Jack seems right on to me.

    My take is as follows:

    It's SQL Server which needs to have read/write access to the files holding the database(s).  It's SQL Server which needs to run under the Windows OS.

    From a user perspective, they don't really care where the data is since it's SQL Server responsibility to store and retrieve the data when requested to do so.

    Access times are probably going to be better where the server can store DB data on local drives rather than network drives, etc.

    HTHs

    GaryA

     

     

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