Can SQL Express 2008 be the management role of Velocity?

Question

Or must we use SQL Server ?

Thanks,
Ye

Answer 1

Hello Ye,
By management role I assume you are referring to using SQL Express as the cluster configuration store. We do support this scenario. When you configure the AppFabric cluster you can point to a SQL Express connection. Also note when you install AppFabric using WebPI it will automatically a local SQL Express and will point to it as the configuration store for the single node cluster. This option targets the development scenario and allows you to debug an application that uses the Velocity cache on a single machine. Pls note the link to the Web Platform Installer has been added to http://msdn.microsoft.com/appfabric last week.   
Sasha

Answer 2

Thank you Sasha.

Just to clearify, I mean using SQL express server as both configuration store and the management role (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee790934.aspx).
And for a multi-node cluster, does SQL express server work? Or we must use SQL Server (not express) if we don't want to use a SQL Server Compact data file?

Many thanks,
Ye

Answer 3

Thanks for your query.

Starting with Beta1 release of Windows Server AppFabric Caching or earlier known as project codenamed "Velocity", it does not use SQL Server Compact as the Cluster Config Store, hence SQL Compact cannot be used. However for Cluster Config customers can still use XML based network shared file or SQL Server. If its SQL Server than any instance of SQL Server would do as long as its accessible and user doing install of "Velocity" can connect/has required permissions on it.

For multi node cluster scenario we require connection/access to this SQL instance from each of the node and as long as that is met any instance would do.
Beyond that its SQL Server EULA & Customer requirements which provides guidance on what editions of SQL Server should be used for production scenarios.

Also feel free to post your feedback/comment or connect with us via http://blogs.msdn.com/velocity/contact.aspx 

Regards
Abid