Can I use Merge Replication via Developer Edition to Cluster?

I am a DBA in one IT group and we do our development work on the developer
edition of SQL Server 2005 and migrate everything to our SQL Server 2005
cluster for production.
We want to use merge replication between the Developer Edition and the
Cluster but I am being told by the DBA on the cluster that:
1. The developer edition of SQL Server does not have the same features as
the enterprise edition; that the enterprise edition is required for
implementing the SQL Cluster as this is not featured in the developers
edition.
This statement seems to conflict with what Microsoft has posted online at ...
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/features/compare-features.mspx
"SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition and Evaluation Edition are not listed in
the tables. These editions have the same feature set as the Enterprise
Edition; the only difference between these editions is the licensing
policies."
2. That reporting services in the developers edition has limitations which
requires you to upgrade to the standard or enterprise edition in order to
take advantage of all the bells and whistles for this product. Our DBA sats
the developer edition is just that, a developers editio,n and which is
normally used for testing before implementing to standard or enterprise
editions of SQL Server.
3. That replicating data from a developers edition to the enterprise edition
of SQL Server Cluster is not supported by Microsoft, thus if issues arise
Micorsoft will not support this setup.
So does anyone if there's any truth to our inability to do merge replication
from the Developer Edition to the Cluster?
Thanks!
You need a new dba.
1) The developer edition supports all of the features of the Enterprise
Edition. There may be a limitation on the number of subscribers you can have
to a publication, but if there is it is not documented.
2) I am not sure about this one, but I don't think it is correct. You would
need to post to the reporting services group for more information.
3) This might be a licensing issue. The developer edition is intended for
development only. You will be able to replicate to a cluster running SQL
Server 2005 EE. When it comes to licensing issues you may have to
demonstrate licensing for auditors, but CSS will help you with problems you
may encounter while running this.
Keep in mind the developer edition is for development, not production.
Should you be replicating to production it should be a one time or
occasional occurrence as part of your development process, and not part of a
production topology.
That been said I have set up replication to development environments from a
production environment many times. I did not configure the licensing but I
am confident it was legit.
HTH
Hilary Cotter
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
Looking for a FAQ on Indexing Services/SQL FTS
http://www.indexserverfaq.com
"Robert Reist" <RobertReist@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0D620D0B-4432-4377-A2CD-C92C62C29EDE@.microsoft.com...
>I am a DBA in one IT group and we do our development work on the developer
> edition of SQL Server 2005 and migrate everything to our SQL Server 2005
> cluster for production.
> We want to use merge replication between the Developer Edition and the
> Cluster but I am being told by the DBA on the cluster that:
> 1. The developer edition of SQL Server does not have the same features as
> the enterprise edition; that the enterprise edition is required for
> implementing the SQL Cluster as this is not featured in the developers
> edition.
> This statement seems to conflict with what Microsoft has posted online at
> ...
> http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/features/compare-features.mspx
> "SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition and Evaluation Edition are not listed
> in
> the tables. These editions have the same feature set as the Enterprise
> Edition; the only difference between these editions is the licensing
> policies."
> 2. That reporting services in the developers edition has limitations which
> requires you to upgrade to the standard or enterprise edition in order to
> take advantage of all the bells and whistles for this product. Our DBA
> sats
> the developer edition is just that, a developers editio,n and which is
> normally used for testing before implementing to standard or enterprise
> editions of SQL Server.
> 3. That replicating data from a developers edition to the enterprise
> edition
> of SQL Server Cluster is not supported by Microsoft, thus if issues arise
> Micorsoft will not support this setup.
> So does anyone if there's any truth to our inability to do merge
> replication
> from the Developer Edition to the Cluster?
> Thanks!
>