Why is SQL Server 2000 (including MSDE) not going to be supported on Windows Vista or Windows Server “Longhorn?”

SQL Server 2005 presents several advances in technology from its predecessor, SQL Server 2000. One such important advancement is the support for patching SQL Server 2005 editions through Windows Update Services, which is not available for MSDE. Similarly, there are several advances in security and performance in the “Longhorn” and “Vista” platforms, such as ‘User Access Control’ that SQL Server 2005 can work with, but that MSDE cannot.

Given these facts, along with the fact SQL Server 2000 (including MSDE) is an aging product nearing the end of its support lifecycle Microsoft decided that its customers would be best served by focusing its resources to test and validate SQL Server 2005 on the new Windows Vista/”Longhorn” platform and provide a clear upgrade path for our SQL Server 2000 (including MSDE) customers to the new SQL Server 2005 platform, rather than invest on making very significant changes to SQL Server 2000 editions to run on Vista.