Primavera P6 v7 - move from Stand Alone to Network - MS SQL Express or ORA XE

Jahan,

I am not quite sure how to answer your question.  There are so many layers to this question.

Firstly, MS SQL 2008 Express is superior to Oracle Express.  Oracle Express only allows for one database while MS SQL allows as many as you wish.  Multiple databases are used for things such as keeping incoming export schedules separate from the production schedules until you have had the chance to ‘scrub’ them from corrupting data.  Other uses include isolating one client’s schedules from another client’s schedules.

Secondly, Oracle Express has a limit of 4 GB in size.  Once you reach this limit, the entire database locks-up and very little can be done to fix this other than reloading a backup.   MS SQL 2008 Express, R2 has the unique ability to handle up to 10 GB of data before experiencing the same issue.  Obviously, MS SQL 2008 R2 is the superior choice.

Now for the other ‘layer’;  Both Oracle Express and MS SQL Express are licensed for only one user at a time.  While it will allow you to register more than one user, Oracle Express will not allow a second person to log into P6 while another is using it.  I am not certain if MS SQL Express acts this way, but I am certain that the license only allows for one person at a time to use it.

A third layer is performance.  Both Express database softwares are purposely limited so that multi-user hosting would be hindered.  They will only use a single CPU, regardless of how many you have in your computer.  They also limit the amount of RAM memory allowed to be accessed to also throttle back performance.

Both Oracle and Microsoft want you to purchase their multi-user (non-free) software to hose multiple users.  You will be happier if you do the right thing and look into purchasing the full version of MS SQL 2008 R2.  Good luck!

Hi Ronald,

Thank you for your time and informative reply.  We will venture down the MS SQL route for the single DB for our P6 users.

As you say MS SQL Express could porbably handle our requirements, I will test to see if we can allow multiple users to logon at the same time to the DB and revert.  If the single user limit gets in the way then off we go to on the full MS SQL 2008 path.

Hi,

Agreed with the choise of MS SQL.

Concerning multiuser allowed by SQL Express I already used for 5 simultaneous loged in users and no problem.....

BR

JMFrade