What is the internal storage mechanism of WSS 3.0? Does it need SQL Server 2005 or can we use SQL Server 2005 Embedded Edition automatically installed with WSS 3.0? If yes then what is the limit of the content for a web application if it uses SSEE?
Let say I have created a web application in WSS 3.0 then how much data can be stored within it? How much data can I store for lists and document libraries? How many folders can I create inside a document library?
Best Answer
This is quite a common misconception - the paranoid amongst us may even thing that MSFT doesn't do much to clear this up as it pushes people along the route of buying SQL Server...
Tin hats away though ...
When you use the "Basic" install option during MOSS 2007 installation it does install and use SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (see Stand alone installation) and you do have a 4GB limit.
When you use the "Basic" install option during WSS 3.0 installation it DOES NOT use SQL Express, it uses something called Windows Internal Database and it DOES NOT have a 4GB size limit.
Its hard to find an authoritative reference on this (tin hats again) but this one by Mark Walsh and marked as correct by an MSFT moderator is about the best I can find.