In a recent announcement we now offer the ability to downgrade the Premium technologies in R2.  More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/downgrade/default.mspx with a FAQ at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/faq/bizsolutions.mspx.  Please note that this is a time limited capability due to the End of standard support of SQL 2000.

If you have licensed a copy of Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 Premium Edition (which includes Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition), but your line of business applications are not yet available on the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 platform, you may be able to request downgrade rights to SBS 2003 SP1 Premium (which includes Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition the version of Microsoft SQL Server that shipped with Small Business Server 2003 and SP1), and use the downgraded SQL Server in your SBS 2003 R2 environment. You may exercise this downgrade through the channel in which you licensed your original version of Windows Small Business Server R2 Premium Edition. This downgrade offer is available only through April 30, 2008.

The downgrade from SBS 2003 R2 Premium (which includes Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition) to SBS 2003 SP1 Premium (which includes Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition) should be for new data installs only. This is not recommended as a migration path for data already ported to Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition.

Product Support Update

How to Downgrade

Downgrading for OEM Customers

Downgrading for Volume Licensing Customers

Downgrading for Retail or Systems Builder Channel Customers

Product Support Update

When you use Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition (included in SBS 2003 SP1 Premium) in your SBS 2003 R2 Premium Edition environment, the product support policies for the downgraded version of SQL Server will follow the Microsoft SQL Server 2000 lifecycle. Mainstream support for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 will retire on April 8, 2008. After this time, Microsoft SQL Server 2000 will go into Extended Support.

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Before installing Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition on Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 R2 Premium Edition, please review the Microsoft Knowledge Base site for any updates.

ttfn

David