Home Forums SQL Server 2008 SQL Server 2008 Administration SQL Server Express Does Not Provide A Way to Setup Maintenance Plans RE: SQL Server Express Does Not Provide A Way to Setup Maintenance Plans

  • December 16, 2013 at 3:29 pm

    #1673892

    defyant_2004 (12/16/2013)

    We just installed a couple of SQL Server Express editions with a few standard databases.

    Our DBAs are insisting that SQL Server Express does NOT provide the necessary tools to create maintenance plans. Is this true? If so, how are all the SQL Server Express Editions out there being maintained? I would suspect the Express Edition does offer at least a limited version of the Maintenance Wizard to run some basic tasks.

    that is correct; Express is a stripped down version of SQL, and does not include the SQL server agent, which contains the ability to create jobs/ maintenance plans.

    you could create scheduled tasks in the Windows Scheduled Tasks to execute powershell or sqlcmd calls which perform the same kinds of functions, but it's a much more scripted-out solution, rather than a powerful GUI to help you.

    alternatively, you might buy a Developer version for 50 dollars and replace the express instance with that instead; you cannot upgrade an express version, i think; that would require backing up the databases scripting out all sorts of settings , roles and users , uninstalling express, and installing Develoepr(or any otehr fuller version), and finally running the scripts and restorign the databases.

    Lowell

    --help us help you! If you post a question, make sure you include a CREATE TABLE... statement and INSERT INTO... statement into that table to give the volunteers here representative data. with your description of the problem, we can provide a tested, verifiable solution to your question! asking the question the right way gets you a tested answer the fastest way possible!