3

Our German hosting company complains about licensing issues with our SQL Server Express installation and demands us to uninstall (or re-license) the following components:

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RsFx Driver
  • Microsoft SQL Server Browser
  • Microsoft SQL Server VSS Writer

From my limited knowledge of SQL Server I'm pretty sure I can uninstall the Browser and VSS Writer without affecting the functionality of the SQL server itself.

But what about RsFx Driver? This sounds much more like a core component that I'd reluctantly install without knowing what its function is. Can someone shed light on this part, please? If it's safe, how do I uninstall that driver? I cannot find it in Programs and Features.

Here are details about the version we have installed:

SELECT @@VERSION

returns:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 (SP1) - 10.50.2500.0 (X64)
Jun 17 2011 00:54:03
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
Express Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.1 <X64>
(Build 7601: Service Pack 1)
Oliver
  • 311
  • 1
  • 5
  • 13
  • 1
    `1.` As far as I'm aware, those components aren't independently licensed components and are included with every version and edition of SQL Server, so it's unclear to me why they have an issue with them. `2.` Even if it is possible to remove only those components, you're going to have a hard time trying to perform backups of your SQL Server databases without the Microsoft SQL Server VSS Writer. I'm doubtful you can even remove the Microsoft SQL Server VSS Writer. It might be possible to remove the other two components, but I doubt it. I've never tried, so I'm not positive. – joeqwerty Apr 19 '17 at 16:20
  • Yeah. I suggest oulooking for a hosting company not run by idiots. Seriously. Those are components of SQL Server. – TomTom Jul 02 '17 at 12:55

2 Answers2

2

I would reply to them that these are all properly licensed features, components of a free tier of SQL Server, Express. They probably scan their clients computers looking for open ports or other indicators of unlicensed software. Seems like this is their problem to fix their scan criteria, not yours; unless there is some different licensing for Express edition in your country.

The only scenario I could see an issue is if you previously had SQL Standard or Enterprise edition installed, and replaced it with Express, in which case some binaries from the prior install may be left behind, a full uninstall/reinstall should resolve that.

SqlACID
  • 2,176
  • 18
  • 18
1

For completeness, the "RsFx Driver" is a filesystem filter driver that implements Microsoft WinFS to enable Microsoft SQL FILESTREAM functionality (transactional storage of binary data in external files). The driver has the vague description "allows Win32 user-mode applications/services to own and manage Win32 namespaces of the UNC format" and creates the virtual filesystem path \RsFxName.

theultramage
  • 413
  • 1
  • 5
  • 15