Planning for SQL Server 2005: 64-bit, OS, processor, memory

[Larry Bertolini]

I was browsing Microsoft's SQL Server site, looking for
some details about SQL Server 2005. Didn't find what
I was looking for...

I'm thinking about moving an existing SQL Server 2000
workload to a new box, using SQL Server 2005, and
maybe the 64-bit version.

My questions are:

1. What is the current target date for release of SQL Server 2005?
Will 64-bit ship when 32-bit ships?

2. Will 64-bit SQL Server 2005 require a special version
of Windows Server 2003 (e.g. Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64)?
Will it work with both Intel and AMD processors?

3. How many CPUs, and how much memory, will be supported by
SQL Server 2005, 32-bit and 64-bit, on each OS that can run
SQL Server 2005.

I'm looking for a chart here, something like the chart on
page 117 of Kalen Delaney's "Inside SQL Server 2000" book.

SQL Server 2005 SQL Server 2005
Feature Enterprise 32-bit Enterprise 64-bit
------------------- ----------------- -----------------
CPUs supported
Win Srvr 2003:
Win Srvr 2003 Adv:
Win Srvr 2003 Ent x64:

Physical memory
supported
Win Srvr 2003:
Win Srvr 2003 Adv:
Win Srvr 2003 Ent x64:

Has Microsoft published this info, and I just can find it?

[Erland Sommarskog]

Larry Bertolini (be*********@osu.edu) writes:

I was browsing Microsoft's SQL Server site, looking for
some details about SQL Server 2005. Didn't find what
I was looking for...

I'm thinking about moving an existing SQL Server 2000
workload to a new box, using SQL Server 2005, and
maybe the 64-bit version.

My questions are:

1. What is the current target date for release of SQL Server 2005?
The only answer I have heard is "when we're ready". Maybe someone
has said things like "second half of 2005". But I think that is about
as precise information you can get.
Will 64-bit ship when 32-bit ships?
Since every drop I've seen of SQL2005 has included 64-bit, I see no
reason to assume that 64-bit would not ship when 32-bit ships.
2. Will 64-bit SQL Server 2005 require a special version
of Windows Server 2003 (e.g. Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64)?
I don't think the whole thing about editions have been sorted out
yet.
Will it work with both Intel and AMD processors?
Provided that Win2003 SP1 has shipped by then, I would assume so.
3. How many CPUs, and how much memory, will be supported by
SQL Server 2005, 32-bit and 64-bit, on each OS that can run
SQL Server 2005.

Again, I don't think anything that has been finalized yet. These
limits may not necessarily be hard limits, but rather what sort
of configuration that actually has been tested.
--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, es****@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server SP3 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinf...2000/books.asp