I installed SQL Server 2005 Express on my web server and the website is working but I notice it is sometimes slow when it starts. It is going to expand and I am not sure if I can leave it with sql server express 2005.

I have the option of paying for hosting sql server 2000 database and I think I have to backup first database using sql server 2005 express and restore it to sql server 2000.

My questions are:

1- Is it worth it to move to sql server 2000?
2- If that is the case, is it easy to move the database from sql server express 2005 to sql server 2000?

Thank you very much for your help.

The slowness on startup is not related to the database. Rather, it is related to the way that ASP.NET works. When you first browse to the site, your application (DotNetNuke) has to be loaded and compiled. This can take (usually) 15 or more seconds.

If your site is inactive, it will be unloaded, so this repeats.

There are "keep alive" services that ping your site every 5 or so minutes to keep it from being unloaded.

If you control your IIS server, you can change it's configuration to keep sites from being unloaded or to lengthen the time before it happens.

Thank you for your response. I would like to know if it is possible to keep sql server 2005 express or do I have to go with the option of hosting it with sql server 2000. I control my own server so for me it is confortable to have sql sever express 2005.

I have to create 4 portals (one for each programme in my division) but I am not sure if it is Ok to create 4 different databases or four different portals (I have to ask my hosting admin to create hostheaders in IIS in order to do that I think) please let me know what is the best solution and If I can keep sql server express as my database hosting.

Thank you for your help.

Well, as Joe says, the initial loading speed is not caused by your database. However, one question you will need to make is how many people can access a SQL server express database at once? You may find it has a limited number of connections unlike a full SQL Server 2000 database. For a live website, you may find that you need to use the full SQL Server database.

I always use SQL Server databases, and if you look at the various hosting packages available you will see they all use SQL server rather than SQL Server express.

I have not tested a SQL Server express database on a live website, so I cannot comment on the performance that will be available.

Regarding the question of portals and databases, if the website are separate domains and are completely separate websites, I create a separate DotNetNuke installation for each of them and each uses a separate database, you may find this tutorial useful for guidance:
Portal Considerations (When to use Multiple Portals / Parent / Child or create a new DotNetNuke installation)

Thank you leesykes for your quick response and your help.