Hosting Solutions

Overview

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 is a cost-effective database platform for hosting solutions that provides value-add features hosters can use to increase revenue by offering new services and capabilities to their customers. A comprehensive range of SQL Server 2008 editions enables customers to pay for only the features and scalability they need, while providing a seamless upgrade path that enables customers to build on their initial investment as their data requirements grow.

Increase Return on Investment

SQL Server 2008 is competitively priced database software that helps you to increase overall profit margins and reduce administration costs through advanced tools.

Reduce staffing costs through advanced administration tools

Policy-Based Management enables administrators to define one set of configuration policies and apply them across all servers
Performance Studio integrates and centralizes the collection, analysis and troubleshooting of SQL Server diagnostics information
Windows PowerShell enables administrators to write powerful scripts to automate most administrative tasks

Manage resources efficiently

Resource Governor defines resource limits, isolating problematic applications, and enabling you to enforce service level agreements
Data compression reduces storage space needed by 30% to 70%, transparently saving storage and backup costs

Reduce hardware costs through virtualization

Server consolidation improves server utilization and fewer servers simplify management
Easy resizing and provisioning improve agility and mobility
SQL Server 2008 Enterprise only requires one license per physical processor regardless of how many virtual machines or instances of SQL Server are running, which spreads licensing costs across multiple customers

SQL Server 2008 Web offers a low monthly licensing fee that helps drive more profits

Note: Specific features vary by SQL Server 2008 edition

Compare SQL Server 2008 Editions

Increase Revenue

SQL Server 2008 provides a productive and reliable data platform to web developers, enabling you to reach new customers, and offer new capabilities and services to existing customers.

Provide a data platform for PHP

SQL Server Driver for PHP enables PHP developers to use SQL Server 2008 for their PHP applications
Web developers can use the power of Microsoft .NET and PHP together
SQL Server enables PHP developers to quickly build business intelligent features
PHP developers can utilize advanced data types
Database Publishing Wizard, included in the SQL Server Hosting Toolkit, allows developers to easily deploy databases from your development computers into the hosted environment
You can serve customers with a single platform comprising Microsoft Windows with IIS, and SQL Server with support for PHP and ASP.NET

Provide a data platform for ASP.NET

ADO.NET Entity Framework helps increase developer productivity by allowing developers to easily model and program to business entities rather than interfacing directly with database entities such as tables and views
The new Language Integrated Query (LINQ) extensions in the .NET Framework makes it easy to programmatically query data, especially when working with entities
New data types enable developers to consume and manage extensive types of data including spatial and hierarchical information

Attract and Empower Web developers

The Microsoft Web Platform Installer is an easy way for developers to install the components they need to build Web solutions, including SQL Server Express Edition, Internet Information Services, Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition, and the .NET Framework.
You can promote the Web Platform Installer in your own customer-facing materials and efforts. By supporting the same technologies that developers are using to create Web applications, hosters can make their services attractive to the growing community of Web developers that are targeting the Microsoft Web platform.
It also creates a great opportunity to upgrade customers to more fully-featured editions as their needs grow.

Meet the specific needs of your customers

SQL Server 2008 offers a variety of editions, from free Express edition to industry leading Enterprise edition, which enables you to address specific customer needs and increase revenue. Full fidelity between SQL Server editions makes it easy for your customers to pay for only what they need, while providing a seamless path for future growth.

Offer new solutions for additional revenue

Reporting solutions offer reports and analysis of log files with SQL Server Reporting Services and Analysis Services.
PCI Compliance solutions enable logs for read operations and offer Transparent Data Encryption (TDE). TDE is an Enterprise edition feature that encrypts data with no application changes.
Replication solutions that send copies of data to other locations for backup, for read-only reporting, or for redundancy.

SQL Server SKU Offerings

The following SKUs are most appropriate for Internet-facing Web hosting scenarios:

Enterprise: A comprehensive data platform for the requirements of advanced hosted application in high-end shared or virtualized dedicated hosting solutions. The key reasons to use Enterprise edition include data and backup compression, Resource Governor, transparent data encryption and advanced built-in Business Intelligence support.

Web: A low-cost, highly scalable database system for discount shared or dedicated hosting. The key reasons to use Web edition include high scalability, self-management capabilities and reporting capabilities.

$15 per month per CPU (use up to 4 CPUs and no core limits)
no limits on memory or database size

Express: A free edition of SQL Server 2008 for entry-level dedicated hosting.

Use one CPU (no core limits) and 1GB memory
Database size limit: 4GB (FileStream data not counted towards this limit)

Standard: An advanced data platform for hosting of sophisticated line of business applications. The key reasons to use Standard edition include high availability and advanced BI capabilities.

Other SKUs, including Workgroup and Compact, are available.