In this article we look at key security vulnerabilities that one can possibly be exposed to while working with SQL Server Express edition.
All editions of SQL Server although come with a lot of security features, the user might still have to face security issues in almost all of its editions. Quite in sync with the popular belief that cheap goods are low in quality and expensive ones are high, the SQL Server Express Edition, available for free, has much more security issues than the paid editions. The edition might be lightweight and providing all the main features for free, but it also offers for free the unwanted security issues that are a pain to deal with.
1. A Few of the Most Common Security Issues Arising in SQL Server Express edition
The Express Edition of SQL Server is not an enterprise level edition, it is ideal for local use, as a department database. With SQL Server Express edition you might be spared the licensing fee, but the backups you make will not be as efficient and secure as the one offered in Standard editions. The Express edition also fails to provide sufficient features for high availability. That apart a key issue related to the Express edition is the lack of control it provides to the IT team. Some organizations have actually gone to the extent of banning the application all together.
2. SQL Server Alternatives for the Express Edition
The Express is not so bad that you would not even consider trying it. For small scale users, who have basic needs and no requirement for high availability can certainly make use of Express edition. However, for those who have decided to shift from Express to another edition, the best solution would be to get the Standard edition of SQL Server, and import all your data to it. And for those who have decided to ban the application, do not do it before you find a suitable alternative to the Express edition. Our recommendation would be the Standard Edition of SQL Server.
3. Where can you Make use of the Express Edition
If you are not an organization but an individual user, who is unable to afford the licensing cost of the paid editions, you can opt for the Express edition. For users who do not require regular data backups and high availability features can also make use of it. Most importantly, users who can afford to compromise with the security if they do not have sensitive data can use the SQL Server Express edition.
4. Key Takeaway
Microsoft has been known to create applications that do not compromise on the security of the user data. This has been proved in a lot of applications created by the developer, and SQL Server is certainly one of them. If you ever use either of the paid editions of the application, you would know the expanse of its security features. However in the free edition of SQL Server – The Express Edition, this does not hold entirely true. The edition has some serious security issues that the user will have to go through, while using it. This edition will not be able to provide you with the efficiency and protection like the paid edition. Also incidents of data corruption are more prevalent in the Express edition. So it makes sense to keep a recover SQL Server tool handy.
Author Introduction:
Victor Simon is President & Chairman of DataNumen, Inc., which is the world leader in data recovery technologies, including repair mdb problem and sql recovery software products. For more information visit www.datanumen.com
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