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itsonlyme4
Posting Yak Master
109 Posts |
 Posted - 2011-01-26 : 10:12:31
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| reaching out to the community to get opinions on a sort of dilema that I am in.. wanted to know if anyone out there could offer their expert opinion about the drawbacks of running 32bit sql server on 64 bit machines. a little background... we have a mix of SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005 instances on multiple servers across our network. most of these servers are older servers running windows2000. We have purchased new 64bit Servers running WINDOWS 2008R2 and are in the midst of a migration project - moving all (or at least most) of the SQL Server Server databases to these new servers. I have installed sql server 2005 64bit standard edition Instances on both of the new Servers and staged most of my databases. I am running to a problem because some of our software vendors are coming back and saying that they are certified for (or compatible with) SQL Server 2005 32bit but are NOT certified for or compatible with SQL Server 2005 64bit. But yet they cannot give me any technical reasons why they could run against SQL Server 2005 32bit and NOT SQL Server 2005 64 bit.. I have a couple of options.. Stay with my 64bit SQL Server Instances on the new boxes and convince them that 32bit SQL Server vs 64 bit SQL Server won't make a difference to their application .. or ... rebuild my two new boxes as 32 bit SQL Server Instances. The only drawback to the second option is that I would not be able to take advantage of being able to configure the individual instances with additional memory as needed... not to mention all of the work involved in rebuilding and reconfiguring the instances.. any thoughts????? |
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Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)
7020 Posts |
Posted - 2011-01-26 : 10:24:29
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| As long as the vendor application doesn’t need to install programs on the SQL Server and it will be used only as a database server, you should be fine.Don’t let the tail wag the dog.CODO ERGO SUM |
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russell
Pyro-ma-ni-yak
5072 Posts |
Posted - 2011-01-26 : 10:44:18
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| I agree, BUT, if it violates any support agreements, then you'll need to consider that as well. |
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itsonlyme4
Posting Yak Master
109 Posts |
Posted - 2011-01-26 : 11:13:13
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| Thank you for your thoughts!! my SQL Servers are SQL Server and SQL Server ONLY - no vendor apps co-mingled. I guess what I'm looking for is a technical reason why any app would be compatible with sql server 2005 32 bit and NOT with SQL Server 2005 64 bit..... |
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tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
Posted - 2011-01-26 : 11:38:48
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| Those vendors need to get into the present day as 64-bit is the standard these days for new hardware. We haven't used 32-bit servers in a few years actually.The support agreement issue could bite you if you run into a problem with their software. They'll say, "well you are using 64-bit SQL Server, which we told you we don't support yet". You'll say, "but that's not the reason why your software is broken". And then they'll say, "we can't help you." So be very careful with this!I'd use 64-bit anyway and just hide this fact from them as there's no technical reason why they can't use 64-bit (I'm assuming they don't have extended stored procedures, etc.). I mean, do they even have access to the server to check?Tara KizerMicrosoft MVP for Windows Server System - SQL Serverhttp://weblogs.sqlteam.com/tarad/Subscribe to my blog |
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jeffw8713
Aged Yak Warrior
819 Posts |
Posted - 2011-01-26 : 16:24:42
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| The only places where you will find issues between 32-bit and 64-bit are:1) Linked Servers - where server being linked to does not have a 64-bit driver available (e.g. MS Access, Excel, etc...)2) Extended Procedures - where those have been compiled in 32-bit and cannot be called from 64-bit3) SSIS packages - again, where there isn't a driver available for the external system.If the vendors are not using anything like the above, they will never know the difference :)Jeff |
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itsonlyme4
Posting Yak Master
109 Posts |
Posted - 2011-01-27 : 06:34:04
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| Thank you! That helps! |
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itsonlyme4
Posting Yak Master
109 Posts |
Posted - 2011-01-31 : 07:46:34
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| any thoughts on mixing the instances?? in other words, uninstalling only ONE of the named 64bit Instances and installing one SQL Server 32 bit named Instance and leaving the Default and other named Instances as 64bit installations? reason I ask if that I have one Vendor App that needs the 32bit sql server 32bit backend. |
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Lumbago
Norsk Yak Master
3271 Posts |
Posted - 2011-01-31 : 08:27:07
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| Personally I'd avoid mixing 32 and 64 bits sql server on the same hardware but I don't think you'll run in to any problems in relation to this if you do. That being said I've never tried it so no guarantees.- LumbagoMy blog-> www.thefirstsql.com |
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sql erver 2005 - 32bit vs 64 bit