Disclaimer: Always ensure you have a valid license key before installing any legacy Microsoft software.
It did everything Enterprise did. No caps. No throttling. Just pure, unadulterated database power for your local machine.
Here is the legal gray area: You cannot buy a new license. But if you have an old MSDN subscription key or a legitimate product key from back in the day, you are allowed to download the bits for archival/development use.
Fast forward to 2026. SQL Server 2022 is the cool kid on the block. So why on earth would anyone search for today?
If you are not shackled to a legacy app, download SQL Server 2022 Developer Edition (free & legal) and set your Database Compatibility Level to 110 (SQL Server 2012).