Moving from SQL 2012 Enterprise to Standard - possible?

  • Is there any way to downgrade a SQL Server 2012 Enterprise instance to Standard edition? I guess it's not as easy as switching the keys, is it? We have a SQL Server 2012 Enterprise instance we setup, but we've found that Standard Edition would suffice and the Enterprise license could be better used elsewhere. I hoped a full reinstall wouldn't be needed, but I'm afraid it may. We're not using any of the Enterprise features on this server.

    Thanks.

  • To downgrade, you need to uninstall the whole SQL instance and reinstall the SQL standard version. There is no "easy" swapping keys or in-place downgrade process, sorry.

    Be sure to run FULL backup of your system and user databases, so you can restore after the SQL standard setup. And be sure that your existing user databases are no longer using any existing Enterprise edition feature, or they will fail during restore process too, for instance, data compression or column store Indexes.

  • unfortunately downgrade isn't possible.

    you could install standard next to enterprise and copy the dbs to it before uninstalling to minimize any downtime, but as mentioned, back your dbs up first 🙂

    [font="Times New Roman"]There's no kill switch on awesome![/font]
  • Loundy (5/23/2013)


    unfortunately downgrade isn't possible.

    you could install standard next to enterprise and copy the dbs to it before uninstalling to minimize any downtime, but as mentioned, back your dbs up first 🙂

    If you're going down that route, however, bear in mind that you can't rename a named instance, so your apps will have to be repointed to the new instance.

    I'm a DBA.
    I'm not paid to solve problems. I'm paid to prevent them.

  • Loundy (5/23/2013)


    unfortunately downgrade isn't possible.

    you could install standard next to enterprise and copy the dbs to it before uninstalling to minimize any downtime, but as mentioned, back your dbs up first 🙂

    Haven't tried this myself yet but I know Matt and he is a great DBA. Try out his steps to downgrade from Enterprise to Standard here:

    http://mattslocumsql.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-downgrade-sql-server-editions.html[/url]

    Pat



    Pat Buskey

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