Installing a Server Environment
If a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (SQL Server Compact Edition) application requires exchanging data between a Microsoft SQL Server database and a SQL Server Compact Edition database, you must install and configure the following:
Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)
SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2000
SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools (Setup tool)
The following diagram shows a SQL Server Compact Edition environment in which an application is developed and data is exchanged between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact Edition.
The SQL Server Compact Edition environment can be configured as either a single-server or a multiple-server environment. In a single-server environment, all components are on one computer. In a multiple-server environment, IIS and SQL Server are on different computers.
|SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools must be installed on the computer that is running IIS.|
As shown in the previous illustration, a smart device can connect to:
A single-server environment, with IIS and SQL Server running on the same computer.
A multiple-server environment, with IIS and SQL Server running on two separate computers.
A workstation running a development environment.
A multiple-server environment is the most common scenario for deployed applications. Multiple servers are typically used in production because they provide more flexibility and can better meet complex security needs.
If you are setting up SQL Server Compact Edition for the first time, consider setting up a single-server environment. This lets you simplify the setup process by installing all the necessary server software on one computer. You can simplify setup even more by combining a single-server environment and a development environment on one computer to create a complete development and test environment. For more information about setting up a single-server environment, see Single Server Environment.
After you have successfully set up a single-server environment, you can easily migrate to a multiple-server environment. For more information about setting up a multiple-server environment, see Multiple Server Environment.