Database Compatibility Level

Hi,
I don't know if anyone can help but I'm trying to understand exactly how
setting database compatibility works. Has anyone seen a good explanation of
this (I've spent ages using google/msdn etc trying to find a detailed
description)?
I want to attach a couple of SQK 2K databases to a SQL Server 2005 cluster.
These databases are not supported by third parties on 2005. Would setting th
e
database compatibility to 80 (S2K) make sure they are run as a 2K database o
n
2005?
This would save me maintaining two installation of SQl server (2K and 2005).
I'm not sure I totally understand this functionality.
Thanks,
Jason.> I want to attach a couple of SQK 2K databases to a SQL Server 2005
> cluster.
> These databases are not supported by third parties on 2005. Would setting
> the
> database compatibility to 80 (S2K) make sure they are run as a 2K database
> on
> 2005?
That is a legal question that you should ask of your 3rd party. Even when
emulating a prior version, there is no guarantee that a particular query
will return the same results in the same way using the enhancements /
changes in the database engine. The compatibility setting will not affect
the system stored procedures - on which your 3rd party system may depend.
Even MS carefully constrains the compability claims. InBOL, MS says, "Sets
certain database behaviors to be compatible with the specified earlier
version of Microsoft SQL ServerT. "|||Hi Jason
All databases available through a SQL 2005 server are SQL 2005 databases.
Setting a compatibility level just makes the database more compatible with
earlier versions, but they are still SQL 2005 databases.
The differences allows with the compatibility level are mainly how certain
keywords are used, and what object names are allowed. The architecture of
the database is a SQL 2005 architecture and is a 3rd party can't deal with
the architectural changes in SQL 2005, they won't be able to deal with a SQL
2005 database in a lower compatibility level.
HTH
Kalen Delaney, SQL Server MVP
www.solidqualitylearning.com
"JayMG" <JayMG@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E2D65A62-9F3D-454F-90CE-75A9C3E21F1B@.microsoft.com...
> Hi,
> I don't know if anyone can help but I'm trying to understand exactly how
> setting database compatibility works. Has anyone seen a good explanation
> of
> this (I've spent ages using google/msdn etc trying to find a detailed
> description)?
> I want to attach a couple of SQK 2K databases to a SQL Server 2005
> cluster.
> These databases are not supported by third parties on 2005. Would setting
> the
> database compatibility to 80 (S2K) make sure they are run as a 2K database
> on
> 2005?
> This would save me maintaining two installation of SQl server (2K and
> 2005).
> I'm not sure I totally understand this functionality.
> Thanks,
> Jason.
>sql