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If I install a copy of SQL Server 2014 Standard Trial edition can that version be upgraded (in place without a full re-install) to the full version (core license) afterwards? I'd love to get this stuff installed and configured while I'm waiting for the licensing but I don't want to cause myself grief if it can't be easily licensed.

EDIT: More info, for anyone else that finds this question -

The Microsoft site doesn't specify anything beyond "SQL Server 2014" when you download the evaluation edition. But since they don't let you pick the specific edition I think Shanky's comment is correct (it is the Enterprise edition).

As Thomas pointed me to, here are the upgrade paths from SQL Server 2014 Evaluation Enterprise (since Microsoft loves moving/killing links):

  • SQL Server 2014 Evaluation Enterprise 2
  • SQL Server 2014 Enterprise (Server+CAL or Core License)
  • SQL Server 2014 Business Intelligence
  • SQL Server 2014 Standard

  • SQL Server 2014 Developer SQL Server 2014

  • Web Upgrading from Evaluation Enterprise (a free edition) to any of the paid editions is supported for stand-alone installations, but is not supported for clustered installations.

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  • Where did you get "Standard Trial"? Terminology is important.
    – Aaron Bertrand
    Sep 30, 2014 at 18:38
  • There is nothing like standard trial edition. Trial edition is always like Enterprise edition and is called as Enterprise evaluation edition and yes you can upgrade to licensed version by doing inplace upgarde as per support matrix
    – Shanky
    Sep 30, 2014 at 18:39
  • Sure there is. That's "standard trial" in the English sense, not the Microsoft SQL server edition sense. The standard (i.e. normal, regular) trail is a trial of the Enterprise edition.
    – Reversed Engineer
    Apr 28, 2016 at 11:45

2 Answers 2

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Do you mean upgrade from Evaluation to the full Enterprise? If so, then yes that is supported. Take a look at the link here on BOL to show supported edition upgrades (scroll towards the bottom, it has SQL Server 2014 upgrades between editions and what's possible).

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I am adding this answer as it could be helpful and related to Inplace upgarde

First you need to check using the link Thomas gave whether inplace upgarde you are doing is supported or not. After you are sure you meet the upgrade matrix you can proceed with two considerations

  1. If you are upgrading from enterprise evaluation edition to enterprise you do not have to worry and inplace upgarde would likely to be smooth.

  2. If you are upgrading from from enterprise evaluation edition to standard edition problem can arise. You can use evaluation edition for 180 days and if you have used any enterprise feature in 2014 evaluation edition, but upgrading to standard edition, your upgrade might fails( this was bug in 2008 but still can be noted in 2012) This link has similar information. Even if successful you would loose all enterprise features so you need to plan accordingly.

You can query DMV sys.dm_db_persisted_sku_features to see what all enterprise features you are using.

select * from sys.dm_db_persisted_sku_features

Finally when doing inplace upgrade first please run upgrade advisor. make sure it does not list out any warnings and errors. After you are done with it you just need to right click on setup file of Version you want to upgrade to it will pop up installation page where you have to select maintenance and then instance upgrade to upgarde to required instance

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