An enterprise-only feature is a SQL Server capability restricted to Enterprise edition. Choosing Enterprise merely because an application might need one is costly and avoidable: inspect the database for actual dependencies first. section 8.5
Mistake: assuming SSIS requires Enterprise
SSIS runs on Standard edition, although some scale-out, control-flow, transformation, and advanced-source or destination capabilities are restricted. A database using table partitioning, however, does require Enterprise edition. section 8.5
Listing 8.3 Creating a database that requires Enterprise edition
CREATE DATABASE EnterpriseDatabase ;
GO
USE EnterpriseDatabase ;
GO
CREATE PARTITION FUNCTION PartFunc (INT)
AS RANGE LEFT FOR VALUES (100, 200, 300) ;
CREATE PARTITION SCHEME PartScheme
AS PARTITION PartFunc
ALL TO ('PRIMARY') ;
CREATE TABLE VeryLargeTable (
KeyColumn INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY,
OtherColumn VARCHAR(50)
) ON PartScheme(KeyColumn) ;
Create a partitioned database and table to produce a concrete Enterprise-edition dependency. section 8.5
Listing 8.4 Discovering Enterprise-only features
USE EnterpriseDatabase ; GO SELECT feature_name FROM sys.dm_db_persisted_sku_features ;
Query sys.dm_db_persisted_sku_features; an empty result indicates no persisted Enterprise-only database features. section 8.5
Apply these safer edition-selection rules:
- Check persisted SKU features before upgrading a brownfield application. section 8.5
- Reserve Enterprise for required Enterprise-only capabilities; use Developer edition for development and never production. section 8.5
