Question

Upgrade to SQL Server 2005 sooner or later?

Database Management Systems, SQL Server, Administration, Availability, Backup & recovery, Migration, Modeling, Normalization, Performance/Tuning, Security, CE/Mobile, Implementation, Architecture/Design, Installation/Upgrade, Tech support, Standard Edition 2000, Version 7 and earlier

Hello,

I'm the editor of SearchSQLServer.com and I am hoping to get your opinons on a timely topic.

Prior to Microsoft announcing its November 7 release date for SQL Server 2005, we had run a poll asking site members: How have the delays with SQL Server 2005 affected your organization's plans?

58% delays had no affect
28% projects were being held up
13% may start considering other platforms

You can view the poll here:
http://searchSQLServer.com/r/0,,43739,00.htm?

I'm wondering where you fell in -- if the delays have had any affect on your organization or opinion of Microsoft in general -- and what your plans are now that the date has been announced. Will you upgrade right away? Will you wait until all the kinks are worked out? Will you not upgrade at all and move to another DBMS instead?

Please let me know when you have a moment. Comments will be included in a featured article on SearchSQLServer.com.

Thank you for your time!

Best regards,
Robyn Lorusso
Editor
SearchSQLServer.com
http://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com/

The delay(s) have really had no effect in our organization. Yea, there are some new features in SQL 2005 that would be nice to have but we haven't really bet the farm on any of them. If anything and I may or may not speak for a large majority, we have just become more deeply dependent on SQL 2000. We just find ways to make 2000 work for us. In my opinion most of the folks I know that use SQL 2k have become just that much more comfortable with the product (2K) and so it will just be longer before anybody will make a move to put SQL2005 into their daily routine, much less production. Sure we have been poking around with the betas, but since no one really knew when the product would come to light it was more of an exercise of curiosity than planning an upgrade. I think that until Microsoft says that they will be "laying SQL2000 to rest" and considers those that use it less of a priority will we see a strong desire to upgrade. There are a lot of successful companies that are using 2000 right now and with whatever success those companies have survived the tech bust of the early 2000's why would they be in a hurry to fix something that ain't broke, so to say. I think there are other priorities in business right now. At least in the middle market (SMB). I think where you will see the biggest change in adoption is with the higher market because SQL2005 is certainly a viable competitor now with the likes of Oracle and DB2 in that arena. Not that it necessarily wasn't before (had to cover myself with that previous statement) but 2005 certainly alters the playing field now.