Microsoft SQL Server Compact
| SQL Server Compact | |
|---|---|
| File extension : |
.sdf
|
| Developed by: | Microsoft |
| Current version: | 4.0 (11.01.2011) (status: 22.07.2012) |
| Type: | Relational database |
Microsoft SQL Server Compact ( SQL CE ) is a compact, relational database system that was designed for use in portable devices as well as for the desktop area.
It is an embedded database system . The system is not installed as a stand-alone software, but essentially consists of an assembly that is integrated into the application. This type of database system saves the installation, operation and maintenance of a separate database server service that would permanently consume resources. B. the introduction of additional attributes or tables with a version change, must be done automatically from the application.
This makes the decisive difference to conventional databases. By integrating the library, the application is expanded to include database functions without having to rely on an external service.
Areas of application are usually where database functionality is required, the amount of data is not too large and access is only possible from one computer. A field of application could e.g. B. be a program for analyzing log files. This reads in a log file, breaks it down and saves it internally as data records in a table. Almost any sorting and filtering is possible through access to the data using SQL .
SQL CE is offered free of charge by Microsoft and has native 64-bit support.
In 2013 Microsoft announced that it would no longer develop SQL Server Compact. Instead of SQL Server Compact, Microsoft recommends using SQL Server LocalDB.
Overview
Microsoft SQL Server Compact is available for development under .NET and has some special features compared to other databases: The library is only a few megabytes (MB) in size. Each database is saved in a single file with the extension .sdf, which greatly simplifies the exchange between different systems. If required, the databases can be encrypted with AES with a key length of 128 or 256 bits .
SQL CE shares a large part of the API with the other Microsoft SQL Server editions. However, further development is now taking place independently of the larger editions with an independent version count. The product includes ADO.NET providers for access to the ADO.NET interfaces. It can also be used together with the current version of the ADO.NET Entity Framework . In addition, the program library has internal synchronization mechanisms and supports LINQ . SQL CE runs within the application process and shares the same memory area with all other SQL CE instances. Microsoft paid particular attention to the storage space requirement.
Microsoft SQL Server Compact is available to all .NET languages within the framework of interoperability .
Development and management of the database
There is a special "SQL Server Compact Toolbox" extension for Visual Studio 2010 or Visual Web Developer, which is available via the extension manager, for managing the database during development. For use on the target computer, for example, a database with table definitions but without data can be delivered, or B. can be generated by the program via a framework.
restrictions
- cannot be executed as a Windows server process (only runs in the context of the application)
- 256 connections maximum
- databases with a maximum of 4 GB
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Microsoft Connect. February 18, 2013, archived from the original on March 21, 2017 ; retrieved on March 20, 2017 : "in deprecation mode with no new releases planned near future." "On the desktop / laptop deployments, migrating to SQL Server LocalDB / SQL Express is a possible option for many of the current users"