SQL 2008 Enterprise to SQL 2008 R2 Standard

• Erin.

  SSCertifiable

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  March 18, 2015 at 10:12 am

  #302091

  We have realized that we no longer need Enterprise edition for a server and wish to downgrade to Standard edition. Currently installed is SQL 2008.

  I found the following online:

  The first two are similar procedures and the third link describes the unsupported registry hack method (not recommended).

  http://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/3079/downgrade-from-sql-server-enterprise-edition-to-standard-edition/

  http://www.brentozar.com/archive/2014/08/sql-server-edition-change-standard-edition-enterprise-evaluation/

  http://sqlserverstore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/how-to-downgrade-sql-server-2008-r2.html

  I am trying to find out if another option is to go from SQL 2008 Enterprise to SQL 2008 R2 Standard. We have a few other servers on SQL 2008 R2 and it would be nice to have all of them on same version. Has anyone tried this?

  Thanks!

• Steve Jones - SSC Editor

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  March 18, 2015 at 10:29 am

  #1784833

  It's an unsupported upgrade path: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143393%28v=sql.105%29.aspx

  I'd just install 2008R2 Standard and move the dbs/logins/jobs/linked servers over. Only if I have a license to 2008R2.

  If you need a new license to get to standard, I'd go with 2014. If I'm paying, I'm likely just upgrading.