In my network, HQ & Store Ops for one store run on SQL Server 2000 (part of SBS 2003). The registers & office pcs in that bldg all run MSDE.
In store two, the server (Windows Server 2003 Std) hosts Store Ops with MSDE and all the registers & PCs run MSDE.
I just rolled out store three (just like store two), and again used MSDE everywhere - but I toyed with the idea of downloading and using SQL 2005 Express.
In a few weeks, I'll be rolling out store #4. Is there any reason why I cannot run 2K5E in one store and MSDE elsewhere? Eventually, I suppose I'll end up with 2K5E everywhere (except maybe the HQ server, and even that's not a foregone conclusion). Will I have to make the switch all at once?