Installing and distributing SQL Server without Management Studio

Question

Have developed a small Windows application using SQL Server as its database.

I need to give the installation pack to my customer, and include the required SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition.

How can I distribute my database without including Management Studio?

Answer 1

SQL Server management studio is another application and does not come bundled with MS Sql server.

SQL pack should only contain SQL Server express edition and not enterprise edition as that is not free and your client will have to pay for it.

Answer 2

Instead of SQL Server enterprise edition you can give Express edition. Express edition is free to re-distribute and use.

There are 3 installation files in SQL Server 2005 express. 1. Windows Installer 2. SQL Server 2005 express 3. Managment studio express

In your case you can install the first two. However SQL Server can be accessed by command prompt also.

Answer 3

You client is going to have to pay a good amount of money to licence the Enterprise version.

You can either:

• give them the SQL2005 Express (which you can redistribute)
• get them to use Microsoft's Web Platform Installer

You could also use SQLExpress 2008, the client can download either the x86 or x64 editions via this page. You can't stop them from getting SQL Management Studio if they want to (it can be found here), although i'm unsure if the express version has the query analyzer.