• MSSQL 2005 Express, while a free option, does have some important limitations for you to consider with respect to management and integration features. If those features are not important to your specific implementation, then MSSQL 2005 Express can deliver a powerful database solution for.  Further details on important limitations in MSSQL 2005 Express are covered here.
• MSSQL 2005 Workgroup offers the management features by including SQL Server Agent, but lacks some of the higher level integration features, but does this at a more affordable price point.
• MSSQL 2005 Standard is robustly featured, but at a significant price increase.
• We STRONGLY recommend you review Microsoft's comprehensive MSSQL 2005 version chart available here to help you make the most informed decision on features and limitations of the version you are considering including in your 3Essentials hosted dedicated server.

* Normally MSSQL backups are performed as part of maintenance tasks handled by the SQL Server Agent.  This means that customers who purchase a Managed Dedicated or Managed Virtual server with MSSQL 2005 Express would not have SQL Server Agent (as it's not inluded with Express), and as a result, would not have the ability to schedule regular databsae backups.  To address this, on all Managed Virtual and Managed Dedicated servers 3Essentials schedules a nightly script which connects to your database instance, and creates a FULL backup of each database found there.  By default, we retain these for 7 days, unless instructed differently by the customer.