Data Compression

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Data Compression

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SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 1

Forgot to add the link for the msdn reference showing that Vardecimal is a read_only attribute in 2008 and above with it being enabled on all "user" databases by default

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188124.aspx

The read_only attribute test is easy enough to prove.

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
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steve.jacobs SSCommitted Points: 1830 More actions · Answer 2

L' Eomot Inversé (11/13/2013)
Jason and Koen have pointed out the flaws in this question.
I wonder how many people will end up answering (correctly) "developer edition" and finding out that that answer is treated as wrong.
But there's another flaw - this one in the SQL Server product (we have a non-optional option, which is surely a flaw) not in the question:-
Maybe there should be a none of the above answer; the question doesn't state what release it is about, so it should be assumed to be about 2008, 2008 R2, or 2012 (the ones currently fully released and on standard support); according to Jason none of those supports vardecimal, and if that's correct clearly no edition of any of them does. But looking at database properties using SSMS for sql 2012 or ssms 2008 R2 in developer edition provides a list which says the vardecimal storage option is enabled - I don't currently have a 2008 system to try it on, but I imagine it's the same - and that line is in weak type, which I think means you can't change it, so maybe Jason is wrong - the thing that isn't supported is disabling the feature, the feature itself is supported, so a "none of the above" answer isn't needed. Of course the idea that something which can't be switched off is listed as an option raises an interesting question: if you can't switch it off, it isn't optional so why say it's an option? The ways of Microsoft are indeed arcane. :w00t: And this isn't just a funny thing in SSMS: I can use
sp_tableoption '<table>', 'vardecimal storage format' 1 (or 0)
to tell the system whether an individual table is allowed to use the format, and
select name, object_id from sys.objects where objectproperty(object_id, N'TableHasVarDecimalStorageFormat') = 1
will then list or not list the table depending whether I set the property to 1 or to 0, so something really is going on there, it's not just SSMS being silly.

In this case, I would have to agree with your points concerning "editions" and "product version". Other than that, on it's "face," and without thinking too much about it, the question's answer was obvious based on the single selection of options that were given.:w00t:

paul.knibbs SSCoach Points: 15320 More actions · Answer 3

the question's answer was obvious based on the single selection of options that were given.:w00t:

Except that even with the selection given, there are two correct answers--Developer Edition supports everything that Enterprise does, so would have been an equally valid answer.

Hany Helmy SSChampion Points: 13921 More actions · Answer 4

Single choice question made it very easy, although both Enterprise & Developer editions have the same features and functionalities as many of you mentioned before.

So if anyone answers "Developer Edition" , it should count as correct answer not wrong. 😉

Thanks & Best Regards,
Hany Helmy
SQL Server Database Consultant

mtassin SSC-Insane Points: 23099 More actions · Answer 5

Koen Verbeeck (11/13/2013)
First of all, this question is way too easy. Enterprise has all the features, so you don't even have to think.
Secondly, developer is the same as enterprise feature-wise, so that would also have been a correct answer.

+1 That was my thinking too... I stared at the question and went huh?

If it's in Enterprise it's in Developer (else how would you develop for Enterprise edition?), the question should have been multi-select.

--Edit and if it's in Dev and Ent, it's going to be in Eval or you can't evaluate all of the features... 🙂

--Mark Tassin
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sknox SSChampion Points: 12388 More actions · Answer 6

SQLRNNR (11/13/2013)
Gary Varga (11/13/2013)
SQLRNNR (11/12/2013)
Vardecimal existed only in SQL 2005. SQL 2008 introduced compression (row and page). While vardecimal is a form of compression, the fact that it only exists in 2005 doesn't really match the documentation that was for SQL 2008.
It was deprecated but not removed. See here.
Granted that it is there behind the scenes, but you can't change the setting as of SQL Server 2008. If you can't enable/disable the setting, then it is not available.

I disagree. My car has a lot of settings that I can't change, but they're there and the way they are set by default affect how the car runs. The fact that vardecimal is still present (and the fact that it is on by default) in 2008, 2008R2, 2012 (and 2014 so far, btw) affects how SQL server runs.

Revenant SSC-Forever Points: 42467 More actions · Answer 7

Somewhat silly question but interesting discussion. Thanks to everybody!

Ford Fairlane SSCertifiable Points: 7664 More actions · Answer 8

As been pointed out Enterprise has every feature, and developer & evaluation have the same features as Enterprise. so there is more than one answer..... flawed question.

Hope this helps...

Ford Fairlane
Rock and Roll Detective

Slevin Mr or Mrs. 500 Points: 574 More actions · Answer 9

Agreed that there is not just 1 answer to this question. Here is a link with more information.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ialonso/archive/2012/02/17/what-s-in-enterprise-only-support-for-data-compression-amp-vardecimal-storage-format.aspx

Slevin