If you want to cut the cost of IT in terms of licensing so one thing is highly recommended which is you can consider purchasing sql server 2012 developer edition license for your test environment.
Actually SQL server 2012 developer version is full feature version by Microsoft for development and testing purpose only, this release is not for production. And eventually you are cutting cost in terms of licensing otherwise you have to buy all licenses for development and test environment but please note this- databases can't be deployed on production, - let’s say you have developed application based on SQL server and you want to test it so you can consider buying development version. Whereas Express edition is basic model of free version people has been using it but you can consider developer edition for such kind of need.
SQL Server Developer version will help you learning sql server or ideal for sql server training – having full feature without paying any cost and build full fledge database driven business application test it once you are confident with the result then you can invest in licensing.
What developer version includes or sql server developer edition limitations are - let me elaborate, it includes sql server management studio, sql profiler etc, whereas SQL Express edition does not include such tools, Microsoft has released Express version because people thinks that it’s a replacement of MSDE.
Whereas SQL express edition is coming with limited functionality for example high availability is not found in express edition anyways.
There is a difference between express edition and sql server developer edition , it only can be used with production environment whereas Developer edition cannot be used in inside production.
For example feature wise, SQL Server 2012 developer edition has same feature as SQL server 2012 enterprise server has.
You can buy SQL Server developer edition from Microsoft site easily, it also supported with sharepoint this means if you have SharePoint farm with sharepoint 2013 and sql server 2012 so can do this by adding a sql server developer edition into your development environment and make a farm for testing purpose.
Sql Server Developer version has analysis services, integration services, and other feature as you find them in sql server 2012 full version or the enterprise version.
If you think you can deploy it on production and take full advantages because it’s more like you are working with toy.
Only thing which is important to understand you cannot deploy databases in your production farms using sql server developer edition.
Actually SQL server 2012 developer version is full feature version by Microsoft for development and testing purpose only, this release is not for production. And eventually you are cutting cost in terms of licensing otherwise you have to buy all licenses for development and test environment but please note this- databases can't be deployed on production, - let’s say you have developed application based on SQL server and you want to test it so you can consider buying development version. Whereas Express edition is basic model of free version people has been using it but you can consider developer edition for such kind of need.
SQL Server Developer version will help you learning sql server or ideal for sql server training – having full feature without paying any cost and build full fledge database driven business application test it once you are confident with the result then you can invest in licensing.
What developer version includes or sql server developer edition limitations are - let me elaborate, it includes sql server management studio, sql profiler etc, whereas SQL Express edition does not include such tools, Microsoft has released Express version because people thinks that it’s a replacement of MSDE.
Whereas SQL express edition is coming with limited functionality for example high availability is not found in express edition anyways.
There is a difference between express edition and sql server developer edition , it only can be used with production environment whereas Developer edition cannot be used in inside production.
For example feature wise, SQL Server 2012 developer edition has same feature as SQL server 2012 enterprise server has.
You can buy SQL Server developer edition from Microsoft site easily, it also supported with sharepoint this means if you have SharePoint farm with sharepoint 2013 and sql server 2012 so can do this by adding a sql server developer edition into your development environment and make a farm for testing purpose.
Sql Server Developer version has analysis services, integration services, and other feature as you find them in sql server 2012 full version or the enterprise version.
If you think you can deploy it on production and take full advantages because it’s more like you are working with toy.
Only thing which is important to understand you cannot deploy databases in your production farms using sql server developer edition.
