we're a little confused, we understand that between instances of sql express that a licensed edition would be necessary for service broker to be used but what if there is just one sql express edition/instance in the picture, does service broker come with express and can most of service broker's features be used "intra" (inside) that instance?
SQL Server Service Broker does come with Express. And you do need another (paid) edition involved for messages that pass outside the instance.
From http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345154.aspx#sseover_topic10:
SQL Server Express can use Service Broker only in combination with other SQL Server 2005 editions. If SQL Server Express receives a Broker message from another Express instance, and if another SQL Server 2005 edition has not processed the message, then the message is dropped. So the message can originate from an Express instance and end up at one, but it must be routed through a non-Express instance if that is the case. You can check a Message Drop trace event that is accessible from the Profiler or use tracing stored procedures to track this type of occurrence. The error message associated with the dropped message includes verbiage to this effect: "This message has been dropped due to licensing restrictions."
Don
|||thanks, I've read that first sentence before and totally misinterpreted its meaning.