REPEATABLE READ

Following up on my previous MSDE Facts post, I wanted to provide the same coverage for SQL Server 2000 Personal, because it frequently gets confused, in many circles, with MSDE -- probably because it, like MSDE, is capable of being installed on non-server OSes, and is also susceptible to the Workload Governor. But, it does have some different functionality, and it also isn't free like MSDE is.

P H Y S I C A L   C A P A C I T I E S / L I M I T A T I O N S
(NOTE: These capacities are the exact same as those of MSDE)
Max Supported Processors: 2 (all applicable OSes, except Win 98/XP which only allows 1 proc)
Total Supported RAM: 2 GB (all applicable OSes)
Max Database Size: 2 GB
Max Number of Connections: 32,767 (just like non MSDE versions)
Max Number of Databases: 32,767 (just like non MSDE versions)
Max Number of Files per Database: 32,767 (ditto)
Max Number of Objects Per Database: 2,147,483,647 (ditto)

F U N C T I O N A L   L I M I T A T I O N S
Allowed: Multiple Instances of MSDE per physical box (up to 16 instances, just like 'normal' SQL Server), GUI Tools, Full Text Search (except on Win98, no idea about XP), SQL Mail.
Not Supported: Failover Clustering, Log Shipping, Parallel DBCC, Parallel Create Index, Enhanced Read Ahead and Scan, Indexed Views, Federated Databases, and SAN Support.

R E P L I C A T I O N
SQL Server Personal Edition behaves just like MSDE, it can participate in all forms of Replication -- but, like MSDE, can only be a subscriber in Transactional Replication. It's also subject to the same requirement for CALS, so make sure you address that if needed. 

A N A L Y S I S   S E R V I C E S   F U N C T I O N A L I T Y
Unlike MSDE, SQL Server Personal Edition supports SOME Analysis Services Functionality, including: Analysis Service, Custom Rollups, Actions, and Data Mining (all of the features that STANDARD SQL Server supports).

O T H E R   F U N C T I O N A L I T Y
SQL Server Personal Edition also fully supports: Data Transformation Services, Data Mining, and English Query.

Q U E R Y   G O V E R N O R
Like MSDE, SQL Server 2000 Personal Edition is subject to the Workload Governor, which means that it too is limited to 8 simulataneous batches/operations.

U P   N E X T :
The Workload Governor: How it works, and how to tell when you've outgrown MSDE.